


The Innkeeper's Lover

by MrSchimpf



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: F/F, Generation Gap, Older Woman/Younger Woman, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2007-05-16
Updated: 2013-07-27
Packaged: 2017-11-23 07:46:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 220,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/619727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrSchimpf/pseuds/MrSchimpf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lorelai offers Paris some additional comfort as they count the proceeds from selling Grad Night tickets, but both women are surprised to find how deeply kindred they exactly are.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Accounting for Lust

**Title: The Innkeeper's Lover | Chapter One | Accounting for Lust  
Author: **Nate  
 **Pairing:** Paris/Lorelai, 3rd person POV  
 **Spoilers:** This takes place a few hours after the Paris/Lorelai awkward hug in the S3 episode _Here Comes the Son_. This is a little AU though, as I changed a few things in order to suit the plot that I want going forward;  
·Nothing about Paris and Lorelai's pasts has changed; Paris is still with Jamie going into this, while Lorelai is single. However, she isn't jealous of Luke and Nicole, while Paris has hit an unsaid (before this story) rough patch with Jamie.  
·Jess managed to scrounge just enough of a GPA to invite Rory to Stars Hollow High's Prom, and they had their first time after that. He also got a scholarship to Boston College, and Rory's pro-con list went towards Harvard rather than Yale, so they'll live together in the future. You'll see why I made things this way in future chapters, if you enjoyed this introductory chapter.  
 **Rating:** NC-17 (sexual situations, flirting, a younger/older relationship between two women, mentions of masturbation, and profanity)  
 **Disclaimer:** Oh, David Rosenthal and the CW (you know, that guy who produced the show this season and the network which aired it...did I mention that it's hard to think of the show in the past tense from hereon out?). You may have taken a great show and ruined it further, but that allowed me to bask in my fantasy world where Christopher met with a tragic rattle accident in Season Three, Logan was found to be selling exam papers online and expelled from Yale long before he met Rory, while her and Paris were living happily ever after as they blissfully ignored focus group and Focus on the Family's advice to not be kissing so much, and Lorelai had happy twin girls with Luke.  
   
Other than that though, Amy Sherman-Palladino created the characters through her Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions, while Warner Bros. Television distributes it and makes it and all that; I'm just having some fun with the girls here. All products and trademarks mentioned within the story are the property of their respective owners.  
 **Archiving:** GilmoreGirlsSlash, RalSt, Realm of the Shadow, aff.net, and femslash.net. You will **not** find this on fanfiction.net; I feel it is way too explicit to meet that site's TOS.  
 **Summary:** Lorelai offers Paris some additional comfort as they count the proceeds from selling Grad Night tickets, but both women are surprised to find how deeply kindred they exactly are.  
 **Author's** **Notes:** All right, so this idea of bringing Paris and Lorelai together as a couple for what should be a very hot version of a May/December romance? It's been done well by a couple writers, but mostly this ship has suffered from writing which left much to be desired. The couple who have done it well did it in a one-shot manner, while the rest, let's just say a few of them are on sites no sane person would go to, and Paris is written as if she has a complex mommy complex thing with a want for Lorelai that borders on stalking rather than admiration. I've always felt disappointed that P/L hasn't been explored deeply like Paris/Rory has, and one day after talking with one of those great P/L authors, I decided on this idea and went for it.  
   
That girl of course is Danielle who as always, does a great job of betaing for me. I wrote this mainly because I enjoy a fun 'smart girl gets with the smart alec' fic, but because she's been pushing for me to get this out. Thanks to her, I have all the inspiration that I could ever have for writing Paris in any sexual situation.  
   
I do not offer my thanks to Jeremy Crawford however, the first guy who ever asked 'can you write a Paris/Lorelai fic, pleasssse?'. Dude, you need to stop asking people for fics, along with being rude to them, and calm down, no one in fanfiction enjoys hearing from you. I'm sure he probably thinks this is too tame though, judging from his LiveJournal group dedicated to his odd coupling fixations.  
   
I hope that all of you enjoy this, and don't worry about _Longing_ being neglected for the sake of this story; this will be written when I run into block on that story only. I hope you can give me your honest feelings about my treatment of the women together; I have an entire series in mind for this and hopefully the feedback is great enough to enable me to continue. Enjoy :)!  


* * *

Paris looked at the cashbox, frustrated as she went over the money count herself for the sixth time since 3 o'clock. She could've sworn that there was $21.75 extra in the box that she just wasn't finding. She did her usual count, the change first, followed by big bills, small bills, and ended with the Sacagawea and Anthony dollars she wished were used more often by the American public, but weren't, no thanks to the patriarchal national vending machine cabal. Every time however...  
   
"$1,671.25!" She growled out the amount, pounding her hands down on the table, and then scribbling the amount once again on scratch paper to her left side. "I know it was $1,693, for sure!"

"Paris, calm down." Lorelai stood off to the frustrated girl's side, having been stuck in that empty classroom on the behest of one last event for Chilton's PTO. "We made much more than we could have ever thought, you should be pleased with how much we made in five hours of ticket selling. And hey, you got to skip some classes today, that's good, right?"  
   
The withering stare directed at the innkeeper showed that Paris had different thoughts of the day than Lorelai.  
   
"You don't understand Ms. Gilmore; this is Grad Night, the largest event besides Prom and the Valentine's Dance that the student government runs. I want to know that everything we collected here, and hopefully somebody didn't sneak in and decided 'Oh, you know what? They won't miss $21.75 at all, Paris is stupid. Let's go blow it on some Papa John's and those Mr. Sketch markers that have root beer and watermelon scents so we can do a cute, half-assed craft!'"  
   
"But you have the rental fee for the hall covered, right? You only needed $1,250!" Lorelai sat in the chair next to Paris, watching the blonde put a couple fingers to her temples. "We profited $420! Last year the class of '02 raised $934, as you've reminded me numerous times throughout the day. It looked bad during lunch, but in the afternoon when we relocated away from Madeline and Louise's yearbook tearing, we managed to do more."  
   
"You put out a candy dish, Ms. Gilmore!"

Lorelai smiled, wondering what had Paris so wound up. "What's the problem with that?"  
   
"It's unethical, we're bribing them to buy tickets in exchange for peppermints and butterscotch!" She rolled her eyes, trying to make the point that Lorelai really wasn't getting.  
   
"Which was out of my own pocket. We didn't lose any money, and $22--"  
   
"$21.75!"

Lorelai shook her head, laughing as she tried to bring Paris back to her point. "Yes, that, is just bonus money. We got what we needed and we've made the most of any group in that room today."  
   
"Still, I know we made more than that," she insisted, "I mentally did a count of each ticket we sold and that's the amount that I got."  
   
"Some could've given less, or more. But we sold over 300 tickets. That's not the entire class, Paris, but it's enough to make the event profitable."  
   
"I want to get this right though. Maybe I should count again." Paris looked at the cash box and was about to do exactly that.  
   
But, Lorelai had the key, and was able to get it away from her and lock the box before Paris could get a hold of the key.  
   
"Hey!" Paris tried to grasp at Lorelai's hand to get the key. "I was going to count that again!" She was about to go after the mother of her best friend/VP/nemesis and get the key back from the older woman...  
   
And then she found herself facing the reminder of how Grad Night made $1,671.25 that day.  
   
Rather, two reminders. Lorelai bent down in a position to get up from the table and before Paris could realize it, her attention was caught on Lorelai's chest. Coming in that morning, the woman had her crème overshirt opened down only two buttons, but with Paris's encouragement (and unexpected business acumen for sex appeal), taken it down another button during the day as they sold tickets. Now at 4:30pm in the afternoon, and not having to make impressions on anyone involved with Chilton, she undid the button down another place because of the heat-catching windows of the classroom they were doing the money count in.  
   
Four buttons undone and so many awkward hours together, both of them would have rather been anywhere else. But ever since Prom night, Paris had been prone to more cranky outbursts than usual. She didn't expect Rory's mother to be the target of that frustration.  
   
Ever since the awkward hug after talking over college plans with Lorelai earlier in the day, Paris had found her thoughts were differing from where they usually were. She was supposed to be focused on Grad Night and what went into it, the parent helping her sell the tickets secondary to making a good impression with the student body in the last days of May before final exams. Of course, there was Jamie to be reckoned with, in addition.  
   
Now she was grumpy though. _Thanks a lot Ms. Gilmore_ , she thought to herself, trying to avert her eyes away.  
   
Hugs were **not** foreign to her, as that first impression when Lorelai went in to embrace her might have suggested. Her father hugged her all the time, and so did Francisca, her nanny. Sharon found it as a sign of weakness but Paris hadn't really cared about any her advice for at least the last three years. As a form of familiar love, she was well-versed in that aspect of hugging.  
   
But Lorelai's embrace...it was so sudden, unexpected...before that point, unwanted. Coming off advice from Ms. Gilmore to screw Jamie's opinion of her school choice, it was tactically unexpected. But once she got into the fact that Lorelai was hugging her...she realized that for all Jamie did, for being her first boyfriend and first lover, his hugs were not at all like this.  
   
 _This is comfortable_ , she had thought to herself, unclenching her fists as she wrapped herself around Lorelai's back and gave her an appreciate 'thank you' for understanding her woes and fears. _This is...safe too_. She loved the feeling of the older woman's soft fingers along her back, moving up and down to show that even through their conflicts about Rory's commitments to her projects and how easy she felt the mother was about their serious academic matters, she had taken a liking to the intense and neurotic woman in her grasp. The understanding that both of them had such overbearing and omniscient mothers probing each and every one of their moves, and that anything they would do 'off-the-plan' would be looked at with disdain. There was also a sense with both of them that settling for less was the worst thing that could happen to them.  
   
If it was just a simple hug to Paris, she could go on with her life unaffected, looking towards Jamie and her future. However, as her mind was apt to, it was distracted by an action on Lorelai's end just before they released.  
   
 _Was she? I must be thinking the wrong way_. The thing Paris was thinking about had three points to it. The first could usually be easily brushed off. Lorelai's palm raked across Paris's back, at the center where her bra was detectable through the wool layer of her blazer, and the cotton of her blouse. She couldn't find anything sexual to take out of that. At least at first.  
   
But what had brought her gears spinning was Lorelai's brush with her lips against her neck as she released, along with a soft moan which emanated from her throat. The closeness of the situation, along with the length of the embrace, was something Lorelai hadn't experienced in at least a year, since Christopher's sperm found its way into Sherrie's egg and dampened any idea of her reconciliation with him. Since then she had been in a sexual funk, alienated more now that Luke was going out with Nicole, who probably thought of 'being on top' as a sexual adventure. However, no one but Lorelai knew that, and Paris didn't know what the simple act of returning a hug was doing to the 35 year-old woman.  
   
 _What the hell? No, no, no!_ In her own mind, Lorelai memorized the feel of Paris's body against hers, comparing it to those of the men in her life since going back on the market with Max two years before. She had only intended to soothe Paris, not knowing her hormones were hungry for any bodily contact after such a time having to settle for self-stimulation. Her body settled against the small girl's so perfectly, the hug bringing their bodies together in a seemingly non-sensual way.  
   
 _Those breasts..._ Lorelai had unbuttoned Paris's blazer unconsciously to bring her into a close cuddle, and was surprised at the softness of the girl's body against her own. Before, she had found her attention focused on the girl only in involuntary times, or when she had to help Paris with a dress when she volunteered fit her for this year's Winter Formal and Prom. She had self-control then though, knowing some guy would come her way one day and thoughts of Paris were silly.  
   
In that embrace though, Lorelai was caught on Paris's simple scent of baby powder and orchid body spray. Her mind then flashed an image of herself kissing the young woman and moving things towards something sexual, which then, to her shock, aroused that soft moan, and as she brought herself out of the hug, to stick the tip of her tongue out and get a taste of Paris's neck while sliding her lips up at the same time.  
   
 _Oh damn it, don't do this to me now!_ She scolded herself for her actions, trying to bring herself out of her suddenly sex-starved mindset. _Look, when I get home, Rory goes over to Lane's, I can go upstairs, and I'll work these thoughts out with my Magic Wand, OK?! We're not taking care of them with her, mainly because first of all, I don't go that way, and second, **it's Paris Gellar**! Who has a guy! And if she was a year younger, would have me thrown in the slammer for thinking naughty thoughts about her!  
   
Yeah, but she hasn't come in two months, look at that face silly girl! _ If Lorelai could wring her inner vixen's neck, she'd do it right at that moment for suggesting taking out her sexual feelings on a girl who so often criticized her. She hoped Paris didn't sense the moan and brush-kiss, but the blonde seemed unaffected on the surface. She shut her vixen up but to no avail as during the seventh and eighth hours, she found any excuse to brush her bare legs against Paris's own smooth gams in 'accidental' circumstances.

However, no matter what they did to stop themselves, both Paris and Lorelai continued to flirt with each other, unknowingly bringing their sexual frustrations to the surface. The empty classroom Lorelai and Paris crunched numbers in faced towards the west, a great cooling advantage when it was needed during the school day, but after dismissal the sun's rays pushed their way through the window, heating up the room, which happened to be in a wing with minimal air conditioning, no thanks to historical preservation codes.  
   
Where Lorelai had the luxury of opening another button to cool herself off, Paris stuck stubbornly to the Chilton uniform code, blazer still on and buttoned. The only concession made was to her feet, as she had taken off her shoes a half-hour before and slipped off her socks, leaving the small girl barefoot and free of her tight saddle shoes.  
   
This had given Lorelai a view of the girl's beautiful feet...and somehow thoughts of them residing in a sexy pair of high heels in order to wile away the time as the girl's silky monotone counted out each and every bill within the cash box. Her hand was gripped tightly at the edge of the desk after a totally wrong thought about the blonde's legs wrapped around her as they grinded into each other, clit-to-clit.  
   
Her reddened lips were swelled, dampened by the last drips of a half-liter Aquafina bottle finished within thirty minutes of its opening as Lorelai's sex-starved body continued focusing on Paris.  
   
Both of them were so wound up that even Lorelai's usually sarcastic quips were dampened down as they began to take a flirting tone to them; the same with Paris's own mini-rants. They couldn't understand why they were getting this way, Paris especially, since her last lovemaking session with Jamie seemed good enough to her.  
   
 _He's good, but he doesn't have Lorelai's voice_ , she thought, looking over the woman often, watching those legs contract with each step, the toe and heel of the black high heels she wore sending a shudder down her spine, especially when their clattering against the hardwood floor moved closer to her.  
   
But now, she was on an overdrive as Lorelai took away the key and got up from the chair. Without even a thought, Paris's usually steady and neutral gaze was focused on the inside of Lorelai's sweater top, unbuttoned down right down to where the cups met and where the neck of the underdress fell, giving Paris such a torturous view of Lorelai's breasts. Usually they were something the woman didn't accent, but Paris felt her tongue drop in her throat, her mouth watering at the wonderful view. _Oh fuck, stop. I don't need this, I don't need this. I have Jamie, and come on, she's half my age! And a woman!  
_    
Her own reprimand was dampened as her mind slow-motioned the image as she heard Lorelai say she wasn't getting the key back, then get up and turn around to push in hair at the work table. Again, Paris was flared up, finding herself face to face with what she felt was Lorelai's best feature, her ass. _I should not be turned on by a woman wearing a leopard print slip dress!_ Despite that, Paris couldn't draw her eyes off from Lorelai. She watched the woman act like a silly teenager, walking over to the corner of the classroom, trying to draw Paris out.  
   
"Paris, you should relax," Lorelai said, holding the key between her fingers, "we have enough to do on Grad Night."  
   
"But I need exact accounting numbers, if I don't have them, the Headmaster is going to have my head on a platter."

"We've counted ten times together, and each time, $1,671.25. You're going to wear the poor numbers out, and then the cash is going to fall apart because you're counting it so much that it's as thin as tissue! Then, you're going to go insane with worry because you can't think of anything but that number, and instead if attending whatever college you're going to want to go to, you'll be in the Institute of Living, muttering over and over '1,671.25 + 21.75... 1,671.25 + 21.75... 1,671.25 + 21.75!" Lorelai enjoyed baiting, especially as she watched Paris move her way across the room with her confident steps.  
   
"But what if I did miss $21.75?" she asked worriedly, now close to Lorelai and trying to get the key. But the tall lady wasn't giving it up easily, waving it around just out of her reach.

"We didn't miss anything, now settle down!" Lorelai's body twisted in various ways as she tried to keep out of Paris's grasp, the slip dress riding up her legs a little and feeling a little discomfort as the dress's straps fell down her shoulders beneath the top and dug into her upper arms. Watching Paris get all flustered, Lorelai couldn't help but find the girl attractive.  
   
"Give it back; it's my key!" She made another unsuccessful grab at the key. Suddenly, Paris found a slippery spot on the floor that she could not a grip on with her feet. She lost her balance and fell to the floor in an inglorious heap in front of the woman she was suddenly and inexplicitly finding herself enchanted with.  
   
Lorelai could only watch with her eyes squinted and teeth clenched as she heard Paris "Whoa--eeep!!!" and then crash onto the floor. While her normal self would point and laugh right away, possibly making a funny aside at Paris's expense, Lorelai had her eyes on Paris's legs, and that gaze moved northward as the fall happened.  
   
And now suddenly, she knew that Paris was one for wearing pink panties. The pretty silky bikini-style kind that was an extreme contradiction to the plain and dull classmate of Rory's she always knew. _OK, she might be injured, shut up!  
_    
Still, with Paris distracted, she came up with an idea of where to hide the key. As Paris moaned in light pain from landing on her ass, and with her eyes looking towards the ground, there was an opportunity of distraction for Lorelai.  
   
She used it to the fullest, making sure that Paris was still occupied with her pain as she bent down to hide the key from view. Faking an adjustment of one of her high heels, she dropped the steel key into the arch of the Nine West pump where it wouldn't fall into the insole. _That should kill the temptation,_ she thought to herself. With the issue of the cash box recount solved, Ms. Gilmore helped Paris up, at the same time ignoring a buzz of electricity shooting up her that Paris's fingers were so perfectly smooth, long, and beautiful, perfect for use in lovemaking.  
   
"Are you all right, Par?" she asked with concern, Paris rubbing her lightly-bruised left elbow with her hand. The girl muttered under her breath about the cursed Chilton janitorial staff for not taking good care and pride in their school building, but knowing that it was something else entirely; when she was nervous around someone, she sweated. And when she enjoyed the company of that person more than usual, she sweated even more.  
   
She looked up at Lorelai, her deep brown eyes meeting Lorelai's concerned blues. "I'm fine, just a bad spot to be in, I guess. I'll be a little sore, but I can live with it." Her mind though was a lust-fogged muddle filled with so many thoughts, including how much empathy the innkeeper was developing for her. Rory tried to help her get over the Harvard rejection, to be sure, but it was more of a surface thing where she didn't probe any deeper than necessary. But the lady who had borne her seemed to care much more than that.  
   
"Maybe you need a break."  
   
"A break?" Paris looked confused at what she was trying to communicate with her.  
   
"I mean...let's talk about things. You know, um, we talked a lot today and I feel like I know you a little more." The last time Lorelai had felt this nervous about normal conversation was so long ago with Max. _This is Paris, it should be easy! But...she's also so intimidating_.  
   
"But I told you," Paris tried to avoid. "Jamie and I, we're fine."  
   
"Jamie?" Lorelai hadn't expected Paris to go from recovering from her fall to going on about her sex life. But Paris was always blunt about where a conversation should go. So she knew if she didn't bite, Paris would stop talking to her, clamming up all over again. "I didn't even say anything about him."  
   
 _Damn it!_ Paris had misjudged the direction of the conversation, and tried to think of a way to avert. But after a few moments she realized the hold was too deep to get out from. She had to go on with the topic, no matter how much discomfort it caused her.  
   
She steeled herself to go forward, making it seem like she wasn't thrown off. "Hey, you told me to stop worrying about the money."  
   
Lorelai was less than convinced that Paris was comfortable as they moved towards the teacher's desk, Paris pulling up the student's chair and sitting next to the older woman, who took the teacher's leather chair on wheels. She knew how it was exactly, the pressure to have sex to 'be normal', not passionate. She would have rather kept her virginity longer than she did, but Christopher, societal pressures. She remembered how Emily ceded to a maid with awful advice when she asked about going further with Chris before they did it. She had her own feeling that Sharon Gellar's sex advice to Paris was either pathetic, or at worse, dangerous, and as she remembered that February night eavesdropping on her telling Rory about her first time, Lorelai knew Paris acted only on the moment, her own pre-conceived notions.  
   
"You're sure about Jamie though. Honestly?" Lorelai gave her an 'I know more than you think' look, and Paris tried again to avert.  
   
"Of course, I'm satisfied."  
   
It was time to spring the trap. "You don't look satisfied, or on cloud nine." She moved her hand to grasp at Paris's, as she watched the girl's expressive oval face widen, feeling discovered. "Love isn't something meant to be scheduled or built around traffic reports, and if Jamie really loves you as much as you think he does, he'd use something called the telephone a little more often."  
   
"We operate on two different spheres, Ms. Gilmore. I'm more about the usual kind of love, while you need it to be light and frothy. I understand if Jamie doesn't have time for me."  
   
"Paris, you shouldn't have to!" Lorelai implored. "Oh my God, there is no usual kind of love, everyone is very different. So you're more cerebral, but do you ever get turned on by him? Wound up? Forget where you are?"  
   
"Of course I do!" Paris insisted. "I get the butterflies and such."  
   
"You're obviously very stressed out...more than usual. I understand about the whole rejection, but you should be over that by now. I can tell that it's something else that's making you so irritable and annoyed, so much that you're using routine things like this to take your mind off things."

"Look," Paris shot out angrily, her voice lowered and dark. "I'm fine, really." But Lorelai sensed a distraction mechanism whirring in Paris's brain. She wasn't fine...and she knew that the cue to 'unbutton your top' from earlier was the trigger for everything. Paris would not usually wander her mind from someone else she loved unless she had very heavy doubts.  
   
"If you're so fine, tell me how you and Jamie will be spending the summer." Lorelai pursed her lips together, moving herself closer and trying to prove her point that Paris's frustration was of a sexual kind.

"I don't know," Paris said, thinking Lorelai's sarcasm meant she'd be made fun of for her 'plans'. "Can I get back to counting the money?"  
   
Lorelai rolled her eyes; the girl had even more stubbornness than she did. "We have enough, really. You're talking to someone who passed her B-school accounting classes with straight A's, there is no way that there's a dime missing from that cash box!"  
   
"But...but..." Suddenly, Paris's will was starting to fall apart. "You never know, it could have disappeared."  
   
"We've been with each other all day; I would have noticed if someone made off with some of the cash." She got up from the chair and invited Paris to sit down in it to calm her nerves. She knew that there was one way she could draw the girl out, one that always relaxed her. As a leery Paris got up from her uncomfy chair and into the teacher's seat, she felt Lorelai's heavy stare weigh down on her. "Now come on, relax; take off your coat and decompress. You have less than eleven days left before graduation and you should be happy."  
   
"I am though," Paris said, less than enthused. "I'm happy and fine." She kept the blazer on, not wanting to fall to the fact that Lorelai was standing over her, and the invasion of her personal space wasn't annoying her like it usually did.  
   
"Where are you and Jamie headed, c'mon. I promise you that anything you say won't leave this room, and I won't be sarcastic if you're headed on some boring tour of colonial homes." Lorelai smiled, and though Paris didn't feel as close to Lorelai as she did with Rory, the woman's past made her trust her.  
   
That, and Lorelai's wide smile melted her heart a little. She couldn't deny the draw of the kind hotelier anymore, and wondering why exactly she wanted the blazer off, she unbuttoned it and took it off, and handing it to Lorelai so she could place it on the chair.  
   
"Are you sure?" she wondered with hesitation.  
   
"Cross my heart, cross my fingers, and cross my legs, Par." Lorelai was truthful about keeping their conversation in confidence, and with a caring touch of her hand across Paris's shoulders to start, she was able to draw the blonde out in describing her real feelings about Jamie.  
   
"Apparently, we're going to New Jersey," she started.  
   
"Really? That's nice." _If you're Tony Soprano_ , she added internally.  
   
"Specifically, Point Pleasant, where if I recall correctly, MTV set up shop last year."

"So, a beach house?" Paris nodded, though Lorelai was too busy distracted with the length of Paris's hair and how beautiful her skin looked.  
   
"I wish I could be happy about it, but over the last week, I've been coming to the conclusion that maybe Jamie thinks more about his girl friends at Princeton and back home in Philly than he does me. I mean Prom, perfectly romantic and beautiful, and that gave me a confidence boost, for a while after we had a lull in March. But lately, going down there, I feel so lonely and left out."  
   
"Do you think he's seeing someone else?" Lorelai quizzed. She was surprised at how candid Paris's answer to that turned out.  
   
"I don't think he is, honestly. But if you've seen his girl friends, and the ladies down there, it makes me doubt myself. You look at me, all plain and boring. Compare me to the average Jersey girl, tanned, perfect, ready to appear on any _Girls Gone Wild_ video to flash their chests. Intellect is not their reason for getting into Princeton: it's the blue-blooded guys they're looking to bed." Her voice lowers as the description goes on. "He wants me to have fun and relax, and keeps assuring me that I'm the only one for him. So why then, whenever I walk into the fraternity, is he talking with six or seven girls as he and his buddies play air hockey or pool, about everything and anything? No 'I can't wait until my girlfriend gets here, I miss her so much.' Just a 'Hey, Paris, welcome back', followed by a tepid kiss as he invites me to play something I don't want.  
   
"Sometimes, I just feel dirty walking out of there. I'm in my usual dress and the other frat guys are commenting on my chest, wolf-whistling me, asking me to play beer pong or chug down part of a keg with a beer bong. One guy even asked me for a table dance! And you know what Jamie said?" Biting on her lip, she felt the bitterness leech out from her as Lorelai let her go on and on without interruption. "He didn't say anything, except that if I 'freed myself' I'd have less of a stick up my ass about things."  
   
"Oh my God!" Lorelai was shocked that the angel Rory described as bedding Paris could be so crude.  
   
"Every time I talk to him...'Paris, are you going to New Jersey? Are you coming? Please say you'll come! And please, come to Princeton, I miss you.' I've experienced Princeton, and based on the student life under the faculty's noses, I'd rule it out in a heartbeat. They're going to do a summer share for the Shore house, but I know that I'll be the odd girl out in the group. I don't table dance or flash my breasts at people." Paris started feeling tears come on, trying to stop them and failing. "All of those girls barely study, and even if Jamie got into the leadership conference, since he got into the fraternity, that endearing guy seems to have disappeared since the holidays in Philadelphia. All he's about is sex, sex, sex, and if I want it, I have to be the once ceding control to him; he hasn't let me take the lead or be on top once! Hell, I'm on the fucking patch and told him it was OK if he went condomless outside of my ovulation period..."

Lorelai coughed loudly hearing this, as Paris darted a look towards her. She felt guilty about doing it, but she was giving out more information than needed. Still, she understood for the sake of the story, the extra uncomfortable detail was needed. "Hey, it's OK, go on. I forget how blunt you are sometimes."  
   
Paris, knowing her definition of sexuality was much different, decided that the details told were enough. "You get the picture though? My sex life, it sucks. No wonder why Tristan never paid attention to me. I'm doing it all wrong."  
   
"There's nothing wrong with you!" Lorelai cried out, offended that Paris even had that thought in her head.  
   
"You say that just because you know it makes me feel better!" She tried to swivel the chair around to face away from Lorelai, but she grabbed the arms to keep Paris in her line of sight. Bending down, she meets Paris at eye level.  
   
"Paris, you shouldn't feel bad about sex, and Jamie has no right to make you feel guilty about 'doing it wrong'. He has to stop looking at his buddies for advice and look towards you for help! Now I've only seen him, what, two or three times. He seems like a nice guy to me, but he can do better."  
   
"Huh?" Paris was confused as to why Lorelai was defending him, as the woman caught herself and chastised herself silently for her train of thought failing her. " **He** can do better? Yeah, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy."  
   
"Whoa, whoa, uh...OK, here's the thing. He's a nice guy, Paris," she explained. "Don't think that I'm trying to give him this 'he's better than you' thing. But I know his type, I've been with his type. He's not looking at what you have, your intelligence and way of explaining. To me, he seems like a surface man, willing to look at you as perfectly acceptable to him, but not going beyond that. Meanwhile, I look at you, a girl who needs to be validated, complimented at every opportunity. You strive to be the best at everything, but it's frustrating to you that this relationship thing is a tough nut to crack. You try and try, but you can't get it right.  
   
"What I'm trying to say is, maybe you and Jamie see things differently. That maybe, you're going about things all wrong."  
   
"But I'm not. I just don't want to go."  
   
"Paris, you don't have to go--" Lorelai was watching Paris have another breakdown, this time more subdued, but just as sad and powerful as the one nationally televised.  
   
"Lorelai, I **HAVE** to go. In Jamie's words, 'I have no time to get to Hartford this summer. If you don't stay with me at least a month at the Shore house, you can consider us over!'. Mother is going to make me go anyways, she considers this just another step closer to a trip down the aisle!"  
   
"He didn't say that!" Lorelai clenched her teeth and felt angered, feeling an overwhelming sense of empathy for Paris. "You know what that sounds like to me?!"  
   
Paris sat cold silence, surprised at the venom the elder Gilmore had. "What?" She was timid in asking the question.  
   
"It sounds exactly like what Christopher said, just before I refused to marry him." She took Paris by the hands and brought her up in the chair, putting her immediately in a much welcomed hug, wrapping her arms tightly at Paris's waist as the numbed young woman let the tears fall, her head cradling against Lorelai's shoulder. Her sounds of crying were muffled as she let out all her stress, anger and emotions. "Paris, don't you dare let both of them tell you what to do! You haven't listened to anyone who tells you that you suck, and it's gotten you to where you are today. Don't let Jamie turn you into a trophy wife!"  
   
"But...he...says...he loves...me!" Paris stumbled out the words and shivered in Lorelai's grasp, feeling tingles caused from everything coming out across her body. "I'm not...going to find...anyone else!"

"Is--is that why you...that's why you..." Lorelai couldn't believe what happened next, as Paris said 'mm-hmm' to her theory that her first time wasn't out of love, but pressure. "No!"  
   
"It was! He just went in, said the right words, and I was powerless to stop him! I couldn't stop myself...in a way, it was romantic."  
   
"Did he even ask if you were ready?!"  
   
"He took my affirmative moan as an answer, that's it. I didn't say a word." Paris was starting to feel settled down, but not too much. "It was six months, wasn't it time anyways?" Lorelai rocked Paris back and forth in her arms, trying to calm her down, making her see that Jamie wasn't for her.  
   
"The only time that's perfect is when you feel like you're ready. I feel so guilty...I made fun of you for jumping into it so fast, out of your earshot!" The next statement from Lorelai's lips was shocking to them both. "If I knew that fucker and your mother pressured you, they'd both have been answering to me!"  
   
Paris stilled, hearing Lorelai be so vulgar about Jamie. And then, both of them at that moment realized the closeness of their newest embrace. They were up against the chalkboard, Lorelai pushing Paris against it to keep her in control and to make sure she knew how she felt. Lorelai then saw that her hands were in a less than innocent place.  
   
At Paris's waist. And she was involuntarily untucking her blouse.  
   
 _Stop_ , Lorelai thought. _Do not go there, just comfort her; there's no need to bring your personal feelings into this. You should take it back.  
   
_ But she didn't want to. She had been disappointed when hearing Paris lost her virginity, especially with the description that lead into Rory denying she gave hers to Jess. Why didn't Rory ever talk her out of the track she was going on? If her daughter was supposedly 'the smart one', why two weeks ago did she have to sit in her living room in anguish as Rory described the night after the prom with edited details, how she gave it up to Jess because she was in love with him. How disappointed she was that her daughter, who she thought would have a dependable guy like Dean, had her most special moment with a delinquent nephew with no future, who had just barely gotten enough of a grade to pass his senior year and exams so he could graduate.  
   
At least Jamie was 'nice.' And that was the problem. She hated nice. Christopher was nice, so was Max. The sex with both of them started off mind-blowing, but eventually fell into missionary tedium. She had taken herself off the market for so long, but for the occasional one night stand when Rory had a sleepover with Lane.  
   
For so long, Lorelai had been hungry for lovemaking that would make her dizzy. She remembered back to Parent's Day 2001 as she hugged Paris, and that she discovered her and Max together in that classroom after the failed attempt to break it off with him.  
   
Suddenly, she was looking at Paris's point of view. How as her family was falling apart, she was watching one of the woman's most intimate moments and would have never known it unless Paris hadn't blabbed it to the entire school. She wondered how it affected their relationship after that, how Paris had a grudging respect for her after that point that she went in for what she wanted, no matter what she said.  
   
Was she turning Paris on in that moment of weakness? Rather, was Paris's view of that kiss enough to warp her view on love...towards her?  
   
 _No, that's selfish thinking. You have to stop that; not everything is about you Lorelai!_ Even if Paris held a secret crush on her, there was no way she could ever return it, her societal pressures prevented her from thinking of herself as either career driven into a mid-40s heart attack, or the dowdy Hartford wife of some industry scion who spent more time with mistresses.  
   
Meanwhile, Paris's mind was so affected by Lorelai's revealed opinion on Jamie. She would have never described him as a 'fucker' herself, but what he had done since Prom had done a 180° of her opinion on him; she couldn't see spending the rest of her life with such a possessive man. The whole courting had been a ruse, and now that he had what he wanted, Jamie could have her like a puppet.  
   
But Lorelai...she had always been puzzled by how the woman half her age could know how she felt and use humor as a buffer. Even when the Inn burned down and just after Fran's passing, she was in awe that Lorelai was working the phones and Rory went on about she was looking at the legal section in the paper every morning, looking for the notice of auction on the courthouse steps for the Dragonfly. She was obsessed with going right back into the business again, even as every chain hotel, B&B and tourist inn within a sixty mile radius of Stars Hollow was after her to manage their establishments. One even attempted to purchase the former Independence land with the guaranteed hiring of Lorelai as GM before the town board declared it as parkland not for sale.  
   
She felt in awe of how independent Lorelai was, how such a passionate woman with the worst lit in life salvaged it and turned into a respected member of her community. It made her curious, and she was still kicking herself months later for not going with her first instinct and go with Lorelai as her inspirational essay topic rather than a former senator that didn't do anything of note beyond pork projects and agenda furthering. She could have gotten into Harvard for sure.  
   
Paris wasn't going to dwell however. Her thoughts were taken up more by a confident, beautiful and beguiling woman telling her she was better than Jamie.  
   
Always, Paris had a crush on Lorelai. She just would never act on it, because of Jamie, but she knew Lorelai would laugh her ass off and find it horrible that the nerdy freak girl had a thing for her.  
   
Oh, if she only knew.  
   
Paris looked up at Lorelai, shock coloring her features as she responded to the taller woman's slur against her guy and the woman who had borne her.  
   
"Why didn't you say anything to me, Ms. Gilmore? I would have listened to you; I trust your word more than I do Rory's." Fluttering her eyes, she moved closer to the woman, her head against the woman's chest in a soft, intimate way. "She thinks about what's right, in black and white. I didn't need that; I wanted you to tell me I fucked up, in living color, that this was the wrong thing to do. I always did...but she didn't want to hear the gore on my end."  
   
"Paris, you're eighteen. You can make your own decisions." Lorelai rubbed her hand against Paris's right cheek. "You're actually more mature than I am at 35. For all I say about how my mother treats me, her emotional abuse is light compared to what you've faced."  
   
"Was I wrong, Lorelai?" Paris asked simply, brown meeting blue. "Please tell me, was Jamie wrong for me? I didn't even want to date him, but when he came to Chilton, I was convinced he was romantic and chivalrous; Rory said he was right for me. That he complimented me."  
   
 _Oh my God_. For the first time in Rory's life, her mother doubted that the right advice was given to Paris. If Rory was the one to say Jamie was right for her...she was wrong. She was wrong on Jess, and now she had also screwed up Paris's love life before it even started.  
   
And looking into Paris's eyes, she felt herself warmed. Wanted. That Paris wanted to know what was on her mind...it gave her chills that no man asking her advice could ever stir up.

Lorelai could sugar coat the facts, she could use humor in order to blunt her blow. But she instead found herself drawn to the self-doubting woman and was acting on only pure impulse. The girl of fifteen shades of purple she had been teasing for two years, the GellarBot 5000, whom she wanted to explode in the same room with Emily. She was human, devastated, wanting only of an opinion from her end.  
   
Paris's hand rested on her bare left wrist. She felt shivers all the way up her arm and down her body. The feel of her soft body in hers, fitting in so well. She couldn't stand it. Only hours before, the girl had been barking non-stop orders at her, scaring her out of her wits.  
   
Only Paris could ever stand up to Lorelai Victoria Gilmore and leave her presence unscathed, with full control over her.  
   
Now, Paris had ceded her control, if only temporarily, back to Lorelai. And she wasn't about to abuse it.  
   
"Paris," she spoke, a tremor in her usually confident voice. "I think he's wrong for you. He doesn't deserve someone so beautiful, with a kind heart hidden by so much darkness after all of these years. Not you, not at all."

Before Paris could speak, Lorelai found that caressing hand moving down to Paris's neck as she took in the compliment never said to her before in her entire life by anyone besides immediate relatives and her family.  
   
The hand moved down, and then before she could try to avert her thoughts, the brunette slid her index finger into the space between the pearl snap of Paris's tie. She was never one to act on her feelings suddenly, and usually she could break herself off from the situation, evaluate them, and go from there. But these were very, very new feelings, even having an idea to call Paris 'beautiful.' It was something that took Lorelai out of her usual stride.  
   
With a soft movement, she pulled the black article tight to feel the stress on the button, all as Paris found herself reacting to the soft movement of the digit across her neck. Her mouth opened a little, still on the word 'beautiful'. The only sounds she could hear were the combined breaths of the two women and then the unclasping of the tie. Her breath rushed as she felt the fabric thread through her collar, Lorelai slowly pulling it from around her neck on the right side. The sound of the article was like an unzipping, a freeing to the both of them. She pulled it loose as the last portion exited the collar and Lorelai threw it to the ground, a wanting look on her face as it landed on Paris's foot.  
   
Paris was speechless, for Jamie was not allowed to undress her at all, after an incident where he almost ripped not only a favorite sweater of hers, but almost broke her religious necklace in the rush. He was so rough. But Lorelai had taken her tie off, in a soft, caring manner, without one word.

She felt naked. The tie said 'I'm the president of Chilton's student body, the best damned student ever to walk these halls.' The power of being fully dressed, of having all her power, it was always a salve to her lack of popularity.  
   
Lorelai had taken it off, however. Now she was just another woman in that building, her future in doubt because of her insistence on getting everything right and in its place.

She loved soft and slow seduction, but had never experienced it beyond her own sexual fantasies and self-fucks. To have it, in this moment...she felt weak.  
   
Especially when Lorelai licked her lips and released her grasp on the woman, moving away from her.  
   
Ms. Gilmore could step back now and realize she was about to seduce a girl who voted in her first election only a few months before.  
   
Instead, she brought things full circle.  
   
"Unbutton your top."  
   
The words that had started everything this morning turned around on Paris.  
   
"Huh?" Paris felt her shyness come back.  
   
"Unbutton your top." She was shocked to see Lorelai move her hands to the remaining three buttons on her sweater. "You need to prove Jamie wrong, that you are beautiful. He should never take you for granted like he has."  
   
"Lorelai..." Her soft, hushed voice was distracted as the woman undid that fourth button. The plunge of the slip dress was now prominent and clear, a deep, wide 'V' defining Lorelai's visible cleavage.  
   
"You need to stop thinking of yourself as dowdy and unwanted. Look at yourself, and know that you're more than just who you think you are." Sucking on her lip, she rewet it, to draw Paris in. "I want to see every button opened and what you hide beneath your layers, both physically and emotionally."  
   
Paris's heart beat faster as her hands moved towards the collar button, tight against her throat. She felt so nervous, off her track. Only minutes before, she was concerned about her cash count, nothing else.  
   
Now she was concerned about how Lorelai would judge her. She wasn't the best looking woman ever and she knew that. Rory scored Jess, proving once again innocence wins out over drive.  
   
But she had to do it. Lorelai had put her up to a challenge and she couldn't turn it down. No matter that she felt so nervous she was digging two nails in her free hand so deep in her palm, she was almost drawing blood.  
   
She approached the first button, the collar button. It was tight and took a few extra seconds to work. She was trying to tug it open, hard, usually apt to opening it before bed, when all her stress was gone.  
   
Instead of sliding out elegantly, it popped from the collar and went cross the room when the threads snapped. Paris would never see any disappointment with her lack of suaveness from Lorelai, who gave her a smile, and then encouragement that she wanted more. Her eyes never left Lorelai's.  
   
The second button was just as slow. And the third. She was nervous about the fourth, which showed the beginnings of her cleavage. Hyperventilating, she watched Lorelai's eyes lower down further with each release of a blouse button. She felt so exposed, slowly seduced by a Chilton mother. The fourth button slid open easily. It was the first card laid down as to whether Lorelai would keep the 'beautiful' opinion she had.  
   
The reaction on her face, widened eyes, and retracting pupils, encouraged the blonde. An 'mmmm' from Lorelai's throat. Her hands nervously playing at the topmost of the two remaining buttons. The first sign of Paris's deep cleavage, presented to her. Probably never closely looked at by Jamie.  
   
The lace of the pink bra coming out of hiding...Lorelai felt herself starting to slicken up. Paris wasn't dressed to lure, but that she wrapped her assets in the finest silk and lace available, it made her wet in anticipation. Her eyes stayed on Paris's breast as she opened button five...now a little bow was visible between each cup. _Fuck!  
   
_ Paris noticed the staring and was starting to get turned on by the blatant look of the older Gilmore. She only had one thing to say about it.  
   
"You need to stop looking at my boobs."

Unlike before though, a hint of amused mischief was in Paris's voice, one Lorelai had never heard before. An encouragement to never stop looking at Paris's goods.  
   
"Why," Lorelai suggested, smiling. "You want to get a look at mine?"  
   
"Not yet..." Paris whispered. "...soon."  
   
Buttonwise, they were now synchronized together. Two buttons left for Lorelai, and for Paris. The heat in the room was becoming unbearable, as the clock ticked off yet another minute, loudly.  
   
The next buttons were undone, leaving them both with one to go. Paris's belly was partially exposed, what was a turn-off for Jamie that he encouraged Paris to firm up. But Lorelai had another idea.  
   
"How ticklish are you down there?"  
   
Paris shook her head. "I wouldn't know."  
   
"I'd like to grasp right there, watching you laugh...mmm."

"Get over here, Gilmore." Paris took Lorelai by the waist, eliciting a shriek. "We're ending it with this last button. You undo mine, I undo yours."  
   
"Yes, ma'am!" Lorelai saluted, earning a trademark eyeroll. "Uh, yes, Paris? Or yes, Miss Gellar?"  
   
"I go by Ms. I don't go by terms created by the patriarchy." Paris looked down at her hands, now on the big button holding the sweater to Lorelai's bosom.  
   
"How about...Par?" Lorelai smiled, her hands sliding down Paris until they came together at the bottom button.

"That works." Paris, who only moments before was glum, was now smiling as at the same time her and Lorelai undid the last of their buttons. She was surprised how much she was getting into the seduction. Then both of them got out of their various shirts, Lorelai helping Paris with her cuff buttons as they slid out of the articles of clothing, together. Both of them were getting so hot for each other, the boiling point coming soon.  
   
But first, the point of Lorelai divesting Paris of her top. As Paris eyed up the tall beauty in the leopard print slip dress, she noticed exactly how turned on Lorelai was. The straps of the dress fell down at her shoulders, exposing more of the creamy skin of the woman than usual. She couldn't help but notice the reason Lorelai most likely had to wear the sweater.  
   
Her nipples were so hard. She couldn't make out the shape of her areoles, but the prominent nubs showed how turned on Lorelai was.  
   
"You really haven't had good sex in a long time, have you?" Paris said matter-of-factly. Lorelai shook her head, and then grasped Paris at her sides, turning her around so she was back-to-front with her.  
   
"If you only knew," she said, running her hands up the girl's sides, the soft skin of the beauty like satin in her grasp. "How far have you two gotten since the first time?"  
   
"We had sex," Paris said, like there wasn't any other kind.  
   
"Duh, I knew that...but has he done other things with you?" She could sense the girl wasn't shy, so dirty talk was perfectly acceptable. "Does he worship you, like the beautiful woman you are? Bend down at your feet and taste of your nectar?"  
   
Paris tightened up in Lorelai's grasp. "Does he love to lavish your breasts, kiss them, play with them?" She palmed Paris's attributes through the bra, her middle and ring finger sliding against the nipples. "Just feel you up?"  
   
"Oh, God. No, he doesn't." Paris felt a soft pinch, Lorelai rolling the tender appendages around her fingers. "He just paws them up...he freaked me out once. Disgusting thing, he wanted to put his penis---"  
   
"Shh, I would never do that," Lorelai whispers into her ear, knowing exactly what he suggested. "Fucking lame imagination if you ask me, because I can imagine so many other things I could do to you."  
   
"Lorelai..." She was starting to gasp as Lorelai's breath tickled at her ears. "I've always wished for them to be suckled on...so damned hot. Wanting them nipped and played with, tongue licking against them. Suctioning...I sometimes do that when I masturbate."  
   
"Dammn, and I thought your imagination was used for other things! Looks like I've got some things to learn from you." She moved her fingers up the exposed flesh of each breast, getting to know the lay of the land. "Tell me if I find the right spot...please." She slid her hands freely against Paris, surprised with how receptive she was to this attention. Her thoughts that Paris wouldn't be into anything were quickly disappearing into the ether.  
   
Paris loved and preferred the feminine touch of Lorelai's hand. The roughness and pawing of Jamie never turned her on in just about any way, but those thin innkeeper's hands were just the perfect thing to lift her from what seemed to be a permanent bad mood. Pushing her straps to the side, Lorelai exposed more of the sensitive skin, her other hand moving from the right breast and down towards her stomach, finding the spot where she was most apt to be aroused.

The olive skin in her hands, a reminder of Paris's Spanish ancestry, was beautiful but always hidden. Lorelai could never understand why kept under wraps, for it was the most beautiful tone she had ever seen. Paris took good care of her skin, and it showed, even with a sheen of sweat over it. She was quickly becoming insatiable for the girl her daughter topped in the final grade rankings.  
   
Paris moaned softly with each new touch at Lorelai's hand, from the bottom of her stomach to beneath her underarm as Lorelai's hand raked under it to get the bra strap as low as she possibly could without breaking it. "I want to taste you," she said breathlessly, her formerly stubborn straightness quickly becoming a victim of the cyclone that was the woman named for the City of Lights. "And kiss you. Just kiss you, please."  
   
"Do my bra first," Paris commanded. "It needs to be out of the way...oh fuck! My nipples, so hard! Ohhhhh!" Paris shut her eyes tight, deep into the pleasures Lorelai was giving her. Never had her body reacted like this. It was a full assault on her senses, including the way they smelled. Seemingly, they mixed perfectly together, combined.  
   
Adept after so many years of releasing her bra through her blouse before she got out of the Jeep at home every night, Lorelai made quick work of the three-snap bra, getting the pink article off the girl in record time. She struggled to keep her slip dress on, the tightness of her breasts and the cling of perspiration the only things keeping it on. Paris could be the one to do the honors of getting it off from her, though as she turned around to have Paris face her, the left strap came apart, drooping the satin garment down and exposing a bit of her small nipple.  
   
That was the first thing that landed Paris's attention as they faced each other once again. Paris's heart beat fast within her chest and Lorelai was shocked with how beautiful the girl was without a top. The silhouette of her alone could probably make her cum, but to see both of those nipples exposed together, it was a sight to behold. After having to face down her male lovers with hair-filled chests for so long, she could only think that Paris's busty profile was such a hot turn-on to her.  
   
She would for sure not imagine Brad Pitt's bare chest as a substitute as she and Paris came together.  
   
They watched each other, eye to eye, Paris flushed red from the sudden interest from Ms. Gilmore in her. Gold flecks in her eyes, warm and welcoming of the silly lady in front of her.  
   
Paris then brought herself close as Lorelai did and they met at the same place with a soft, loving kiss that was unlike any ever had in both their sexual histories.  
   
There was no pause or 'how do I kiss?' question afterwards, as it was quickly followed by a kiss, and then another, and then another, their lips crashing together, both of them whimpering into their mouths, turned on, pushed together. The space in front of the chalkboard wasn't enough; they needed something else to continue on.  
   
Her upper lip discolored by Lorelai's smeared lip color, Paris pushed Lorelai away to ask her a question, deep and frenzied. "Max ever fuck you on the desk?" The profanity was said rough and demanding. She yanked at Lorelai's hair as she tried to flare her up further...make it clear that no guilt was to be felt by her that she was too young to decide where the situation was going to go.  
   
"Noo..." Lorelai rushed out. "He was a neat freak!"  
   
"Glad I'm not then!" The smaller girl's 130 pounds went to better use than Lorelai's 115 as her strength pushed the taller woman to the teacher's desk. "Not like Mr. Ernesto gives a damn!" With a hard shove, Lorelai came down onto the hard oak top of the desk, her inner knees meeting perfectly with the edge and giving her the perfect place to sit as Paris's ministrations moved down her neck, her tongue sliding down, taking each and every inch of the woman possible. The salty taste, mixed in with what she thought was a brown sugar body spray. Paris always imagined that Lorelai would probably taste like a jelly doughnut if food was detectable through the skin...to her, this was much, much more enjoyable. She kissed along the woman's clavicle, pushing the remaining strap off to the side, taking in all of Lorelai that she possibly could. Looking up towards her face, Paris saw Lorelai's mouth opened wide, heavy breath forced from her lungs, with deep breaths coming in, her eyes retracted inward as she tried to look at Paris kissing her below. The woman encouraged the girl, hands sliding within the strands of hair cascading down towards the small of her back.  
   
Winded by her desire, Lorelai felt no need to stop the foreplay, despite a nagging voice in the back of her mind telling her that she should stop. She had so many excuses in her mind to have Paris stop, including the fact that she was now cheating on her boyfriend, someone that she claimed to love. But as Paris's mouth continued along her chest, she found her willpower and morality fading quickly.  
   
However, she felt a panic, which had been instilled in her the day her parents found out about her pregnancy, all her years ago. _This is wrong, I shouldn't be doing this. What am I doing, encouraging her? This isn't how I should kill a drought in the love department, taking advantage of a distressed girl with boy problems!_ She started to breathe deeply, a stinging ache sinking down into her stomach. They were acting only on lustful desire, nothing else. That's what Lorelai's logic wanted her to believe, to voice those concerns before going further with Paris. From her base knowledge of Paris's psychology, she was having one of her moments of temporary clarity she was apt to having before reminding herself that she was forever to be unhappy and sullen.  
   
As doubts set in, Lorelai was shocked to find Paris moving her dominant left hand down towards the hem of her dress. She brought herself forward, forcing Lorelai into a laying position, Paris directing a heated look up her freckled skin. Her heart pounded within her chest, the authoritative manner of the girl getting to her.  
   
The kissing continued, all over her front, from the top of her neck and then towards the neck of her dress. Meanwhile Paris's hand continued working up her dress, the thin material pooling up in a heap as she pushed the hem higher and higher. Lorelai's breathing became shallow and deep as the fingers teased at her knee, the small fingernails of the girl doing a bit of a tickle that forced a bit of a tiny shriek from the older woman's throat. Her view was filled with Paris's breasts dipped down, freed of the usual stiff bra, at her abdomen. Never in a million years could she have ever thought such a plain girl overly obsessed with her GPA could ever be such a temptress.  
   
She lay back, taking it all in, trying to figure out in her mind whether this was right, wrong, whatever it was. It was a muddle as the lust mixed with her thoughts, the heated stare from Paris's usually stern brown eyes overpowering her small voice which asked her to put the brakes on everything.  
   
But once Paris breached her thigh, however, Lorelai was lost and overpowered. She pushed up with her arms to slant her body, trying to help Paris find the zipper to her dress in the back.  
   
No need; Paris was beyond taken with the woman and found her own shortcut to get at Lorelai's breasts. Her mouth near a nipple, the strength in her right index finger tugged at the right strap of the slip dress, and it came apart rather easily. Throwing the strap to the side, Paris pulled the fabric in front of the breast down, her mouth taking in the peaked nipple almost immediately.

The overwhelming stimulation forced out a scream from Lorelai. "OHH GOOOD!!" She applied some suction, the nipple stiff against the roof of her mouth as her hand continued higher up Lorelai's skirt. The older woman was a whole mess of nerves, her defenses fully down. _I can't imagine any kind of quip to take me out of this situation_ , she thought, Paris's bottom row of teeth brushied against the oversensitized bud.  
   
Lorelai's left hand was along the waist of Paris's skirt, struggling to find the clasp, as her other grasped the desk. Cursing herself for not remembering back from her Hillside days where the clasp was, she went for the left and the right, trying to look for it.  
   
What she didn't expect, though, was the blonde taking her by the wrist and pushing it away from her.  
   
 _Damn it, I've gone too far!_ Lorelai prepared herself for a scolding and a long car ride home around the Hartford loop to expend the radiating energy going through. _I'm in LeTourneau territory; she's just waking up to that.  
_    
Rather than the hand being shoved away however, Paris instead moved it so it could inch up her thigh, and helped her slide it up the stiff, plaid article. At first, Lorelai was confused, until the whispered words of the teenager gave Lorelai a peek into her mind.  
   
"Ms. Gilmore," she said, looking down at her, a smile of guilty pleasures sliding onto her face. "I think it more appropriate for you to have me in the skirt."  
   
A new shockwave went through Lorelai's spine, the way the sentence was put to her giving her a tingle. "What do you mean?"  
   
"Well," she cooed, "think about it. Your eyes have been where most of this afternoon in the dull periods between sales?"  
   
"On the change?" Lorelai cracked. Paris shook her head and started to walk her fingers up with the hem of Lorelai's skirt, much to her distraction.  
   
"I'm afraid I can't believe you on that." She pushed deeper within the dress. "You've been looking at me since that hug, just thinking about what it would be like to have someone you know, regularly, that you can't have." Mid-thigh level. "You know, forbidden fruit."  
   
"Paris, I don't think of you in that way," Lorelai offered. "Seriously."  
   
"I meant within the commoner's reference, not yours." Her kisses trail down the woman's neck. "I know you want me, but you're trying to keep yourself from doing anything because you think that because you're 35, you have to settle down." She starts to feel her voice shake as Lorelai's hand moves up her own skirt. "Max, for example. Nice guy, good brain, probably quite nice in bed. Eventually, however, not husband material. That one guy you were seeing earlier this year, was it...Alex?" Lorelai tries to answer, but even she can't come up with a name. "See, so unremarkable he could be anyone!" Lorelai didn't even dare ask how Paris knew so much about her sex life, owing it to Rory talking about it while bored at lunch.  
   
"How does that prove that I may be looking at a different sexual preference?" Lorelai asks through her lust. "Maybe I've chosen to stay off the market; have you thought of that?"  
   
"Strangely, I have considered it," Paris responded. "I'm just going on today mostly, but you can't deny we share sparks."

Lorelai thought about moving her hands out, the reality of where she was, and who was above her, setting in. "I agree, but Paris, you're still much, much younger than me and there is no normal way to justify whatever I might feel for you sexually."  
   
"True, unless..." she started working the dress up the older woman's long legs. "...you consider that though your educational and physical ages dwarf mine, I think that romantically, you're still a college junior."

"What, I'm considering moving on to the NFL to place kick for the Jets?" Paris didn't say anything except to give Lorelai a glare from her eyes. "I can handle adult relationships, really."  
   
"As long as they don't last longer than a year," the blonde counteracted. She pushed her thigh blatantly closer as her fingers circled Lorelai's inner thighs, a small distance from her apex. "Face it, you have an intimacy complex as far as men go, going back to high school." She continued to turn on Lorelai through this odd form of psychological foreplay. "Inside of you, there's that side of you attracted to women, the one you keep hidden under the pretense of a girl crush or something to crack wise on. Something you hid because Emily will condemn you further, or wouldn't be conducive to your business, many other factors." Her hand starts to push down the other strap of the slip dress. "That's what came out when you started to suddenly realize that you never considered me before, but I'm sexually attractive to you."  
   
The response from Lorelai was silent, her mind concentrating on the lacy circling just below her panty-covered slit. Her last intimate session with Christopher hadn't been like this at all; really all through the years they knew each other, he was more about basic missionary stimulation, only going down to hasten a fading orgasm. Max had gotten her off manually a few times, but he never teased her like Paris was. Her hips rose up to meet non-existent thrusts, her body all too used to it from self-stimulation from her own digits.  
   
"Ohhhhh..." Lorelai bit the inside her cheeks, more of her skin being exposed as Paris continued to slide down the dress. "Paris, I...honestly, I never did before now." She slid her hands further up the thick thighs of the young woman, smooth as every other inch of her olive-tinged skin.  
   
"It's OK," she reassured, "I thought you were also verboten, that this would never happen in real life."  
   
"It's just that...you seem to be hurting and you always put so much into things." Paris moved herself to be face-to-face, nose-to-nose with Lorelai. "You're insane about preparation and from hearing about your woes this afternoon, you're thinking that sex is something that will lead you to be unsatisfied." Paris nodded affirmatively, confirming Lorelai's inference. "You were so happy three months ago after your first time, and now you just seem overly distracted about keeping him pleased."  
   
Their breathing continued to deepen as the conversation was mixed with stimulation between the ladies. "His pleasure...it's fine." Paris frowns. "It's just mine that seems to be broken."  
   
Lorelai is shocked. "What's the problem?"  
   
"It's nothing, really."  
   
"Don't deny it, I think I can help you out with that."  
   
"No, it isn't," Paris said, doubting herself. She looks down, her hands at Lorelai's shoulders. "Sometimes I just have problems...problems doing, having..." There was no easy way for Paris to say it, and she clammed up, trying to retract within to hide how she felt.  
   
However, Lorelai could read her face, and the issue was clear as day. Obviously, Louise had gotten to her with the old wives' tales about how sex was supposed to be, according to Brat Pack and Vivid Video films. The blonde looked down at herself, starting to retract her hand from Lorelai's thigh. The idea was upsetting to her and the older woman had to make it clear that it was never her fault for having such a sex drive.

"Hey," she cooed softly, setting her hand atop of Paris's. "You'd be shocked to learn that sometimes, I do meet the Jamie definition of 'broken'." The blonde's wide gaze moved up, and she re-wetted her lips, mouth dropped open. _There is no way!_ She exclaimed silently, thinking the lady was kidding about admitting to a sexual dysfunction.  
   
"You?" She smiled, biting down on her lip. "You seem like you'd be easily pleased."  
   
"Sometimes when I was with both Max or Chris, I..." she shook her head. "Let's just say that sometimes their idea of foreplay is to rush their own cum rather than help mine. Last year when I did it with Rory's father, I..." the innkeeper blushed, feeling strange to admit it.  
   
"So even you fake it sometimes," Paris said to her without any niceties. "I would have never guessed."  
   
"How about you?" Lorelai inquired, knowing the girl might be shy about sharing the information.  
   
"Six out of ten," Paris admitted, heavily hesitant. "And he hasn't even attempted to go down on me."  
   
"Just like a man, wanting you to be like a lamprey on his cock, but if you want the favor returned, you have to beg and plead." She slid her hand further up Paris's thigh as she continued to go on with the unexpected seduction. "How long might I ask he lasts?" She carefully watched the signs of Paris squirming, the skirt lifting and exposing more of the young woman's perfectly curvy form, her thighs so enticing.  
   
"He...he lasts," Paris tried to keep her concentration, "...only 4-7 minutes."  
   
Paris inched up further with her own hand, starting to feel Lorelai's heat radiate as she neared her core. She stiffened, Paris's voice and actions stiffening her straining nipples further. "That's it?" Further up for both of them...  
   
"If I'm lucky, I can get five minutes out of him. The worst is when he goes into me half-hard...ohhh. Lorelai..." Her concentration on the subject was becoming lost as the back of Lorelai's hand brushed against her panties. "Sometimes he won't even finish inside of me."  
   
"Oh dear, I can't have that for you!" Lorelai was getting all riled up, feeling as if she was competing with Jamie. Her fingers did a walk up the rest of her thighs. "Without that you must have to finish yourself!"  
   
"I do...all the time. Even my few orgasms during have been pithy, not like I've done when I rub myself." Lorelai felt the silk crotch of her panties softly, not wanting to startle the girl. She was being careful, treading lightly, knowing the worst touch could cause the girl to be startled, ruining the progress. The hiss from Paris was enough to tell her she was doing it right. "He doesn't really tease at all, like you're doing, it's not as if I can set an atmosphere. Even when we flew up to Martha's after Prom; it was bad, he spent only ten minutes...he was so tired."  
   
"You like this?" Lorelai continued to experiment, dipping the fingers along the crease of Paris's slit through her panties. "How about that, does that work?"  
   
"Ms. Gilmore...oh, wow." Paris began to rock her hips, letting a rhythm build up as Lorelai slowly stroked against her lips. "Continue that, please, it works."  
   
"You're so wet," Lorelai comments, starting to dirty talk her again. "For such a girl who claims to be indifferent to me, you seem a little more slick than expected."  
   
"It's your voice, it soothes...mmm." She smiled, moving her own hand higher and higher up Lorelai's bare legs. "Tell me what you're thinking right now, Ms. Gilmore. What you want me to do."  
   
"I've been so hot all day, it's so stifling in here...The dress keeps sticking to me, I love having the sweater off finally."  
   
"What are you thinking?" Paris bared her teeth and then started kissing at the freckled skin of Lorelai's upper torso. "I bet you never thought I'd look at you in this dress and think I wanted it off." Other hand to the upper thigh, denying the woman, teasing her more.  
   
"The way you were looking at me all day, it had your attention." Nipping at her skin, Paris slowly kissed her way to the remaining strap. "I love to dress to flirt."  
   
"Anything to get the cash, right?" The blonde giggled, loving the opportunity to relax for once. "I saw you a couple times giving a couple guys a peek of the goods."

"What can I say, I lost my shame with my virginity." Lorelai watched the girl react to her touches, enjoying the fact that even Paris was vulnerable to her 35 year-old charms. She continued to stroke the girl through her underwear, the sharp breathing beginning to kill the conversation quickly. She pushed closer, rocking back and forth, diving into Lorelai's fingers, the stimulation getting to Paris. She was getting worked up in the right way.

Paris also continued to tease Lorelai, pulling down the remaining strap of the dress with her teeth. She pushed the cup covering her breast down slowly, watching Lorelai breathe deeply as the material brushed against the sensitive nipple. Lorelai called out her name, whispered, the feel of the girl's teeth dragging against the outer areola sending the right tremors. She made her way up Lorelai's leg until she was near her ass, and where her panties would start. She went forward, up Lorelai's thighs until she reached the woman's center, wanting to rub her through her panties.

Imagine Paris's surprise when she ended up fisting a smidgen of skin, instead, mixed in with some well-trimmed hair. Along with that, a slickness of moisture dripped onto her fingers.  
   
"Oh God, dammmn!!" Lorelai backed up a little, the touch shocking her open, and she spread her legs out a bit. "Par..." Lorelai still kept her hand stroking Paris, however, though she had to watch her be shocked by the sudden discovery.  
   
Paris was speechless, except in her mind. _Fuck!_ She had known Lorelai to play with sex a lot, but to go to a private school for a funding event in nothing but a dress and two heels?  
   
Lorelai, noticing her shock, pushed into the girl, the top part of her dress falling to her waist at her belly. She was so warmed, turned on...the way Paris looked at her, it made her drip even more.

"Wh-wh-wh...where are your...you know?" Paris was at a loss for words.  
   
Thankfully, Ms. Gilmore was not. "My hamper," she said, her voice deepening, and other hand moving to solidify Paris's hand right there. "Laundry day. I was one day early, one pair short." A gulp from Paris, her mind in a million different directions.  
   
"Ms. Gilmore..." Paris slid her finger in a little, exploring Lorelai's lips further. "What were you thinking?" She heard the woman gasp again, as she moved up the desk for a better position.  
   
"That I wasn't wearing any underwear." She smiled, Paris's hand tightening along her trunk. "I often put off lingerie loads for as long as I can in these months. It's another layer unneeded, especially in a suit." Around the outside of her lips, she probed further, finding the woman to be trimmed perfectly. "You know how fucking sexy it is, being bored at the Inn, just heading into your office and frigging yourself off during a conference call with the hotel local union?"  
   
Paris shook her head. "Not in this skirt." Her mind started making out the shape of Lorelai's trim. "So damp...damn!"  
   
"Work your fingers in," she begged. "Come on, I know you want to. I need you, Paris, come on."  
   
"Lorelai..." At the same time, Lorelai stroked around her, pushing the skirt up so it tucked into the waistband. "I want to."  
   
"Then do it!" Ms. Gilmore cried out. "Come on, let me feel you."  
   
The stares towards each other were challenging, like they were sizing each other up, trying to find that perfect rhythm. Their inner turmoil, the fact that this was a parent about to have sex with a student; it was overwhelmed by the situation. Both of them, anticipating, forgetting all their baggage in the moment. Paris slid a finger in a tentative manner along Lorelai's outer lips. She pushed up the hem of the dress with her other hand to expose Lorelai fully, her long legs looking so much more enticing as she exposed her upper thighs. She went in a circle to start with, going with what she usually did when she was by herself. She was challenged, going by Lorelai's movements to gauge how she was doing.  
   
Whatever she was doing, it was working. Lorelai spread her legs out to allow more access, pushing up the dress a little more to expose herself so that Paris could look at her fully. A perfectly formed triangle, sort of with a downward-pointing chevron on the top side, along her sex. Paris licked her lips, a short breath giving Lorelai the reaction she was looking for. She smiled as Paris circled her, sliding up towards her clit. The surprise that Paris started out slow, it made her feel special.  
   
Light pressure applied, she went from one stimulating finger, to two, her middle and index caressing each lip. Lorelai bucked up, the reaction so familiar from masturbating herself, but in a deeper way. The tingles up her body caused a whimper to go through her. She whispered the girl's name with each stroke, wanting to keep up the good pace.

In the meantime, Lorelai kept caressing Paris through her underwear, keeping her just as distracted. Instead of circles, she went with an up and down motion along her cleft, dipping three fingers in near her clit to simulate thrusting, going in and out. The silk heightened the feelings, Paris keeping her eyes on Lorelai, at the same time growling beneath her breath with each plunge. She was surprised at how wet she was getting. But she was also beginning to associate the colors pastel green and pink with the Stars Hollow mother. _I never thought of fingernail polish as a turn-on_ , she thought, the green-pink-green combo doing the right things to her.  
   
Small words, cursing, it could all be heard as the remaining papers on the top side of the desktop fell off as the lovemaking became more rushed with each new test of their erogenous zones. Along her sides, Lorelai was ticklish, while Paris was apt to laugh and shriek when fingers were along her underarms, and the bottom of her ass, but especially along her belly. Lorelai would keep touching her there and enjoyed the exclamation of "Lor!!! Stop it...oh God!!" when she touched her there. The kissing continued, Paris staying along Lorelai's sensitive neck, while the other woman naturally went with playful nips along her clavicle, down her cleavage, leaving nibbles on and around each breast, her lip color staining the usually hidden olive skin with marks of 'Dahlia Red.' The girl was insatiable, at times pushing down Lorelai's head to keep her attention on her chest.  
   
"Oh...yeah...yeah, Ms. Gilmore!" Paris screamed as Lorelai's strokes sped up.  
   
"That's Lorelai, please," she corrected, "don't make me feel like my mother in this situation." She smirked at the girl, who nodded.

"I didn't mean to," Paris soothed, and then circled Lorelai's clit faster. They continued on, both of them frenzied, exploring each other, unbelieving at what was happening between them. Paris's kisses along her partner's jaw line were getting to the woman, falling deeper and deeper into the spell that Paris was casting on her. She couldn't believe it, the girl wasn't getting enough of her, and before she could even fathom, Paris was beginning to thrust two fingers into her, the opening well lubricated with her arousal. She reacted to this, shrieking out loud and holding onto Paris's hair at the back tightly.  
   
"Oh God!!! Fuck!!!" She was being dominated by her and Lorelai wanted to make it known that she was the older one with more experience between them. Pumping in and out, she began to focus on the girl's sexual fulfillment, nipples hardening, her petite body drawn tightly against Lorelai's tall form. Her thrusts didn't stop, but when Paris was in a weak moment, pushing in a third finger, she shoved the crotch of the heiress's underwear aside, exposing her damp mound.  
   
"Uhhh...oh...ohhhhhh!!" Cold air made her shudder, and the soft fingers even more as Lorelai played with her swollen clit. "Damn it!!" She couldn't believe how sensitive she was around, especially away from Jamie. Never had she been so stirred up before, willing to go all the way, the both of them going right in without the usual fretting, talking, then consent. But Lorelai knew Paris wanted to get off...her fiery and sexually furious eyes saying it all.  
   
Paris pushed her panties down to her knees and then let Lorelai re-enter her as they both repositioned themselves, eye-to-eye and hand to hand. Starting with a slow pace, their fingers played at each other's clits, both of the women breathing deeply, wanting, and holding back screams and groans as they pushed against each other. Legs spread wide, Paris encouraged the elder Gilmore to spread out more, having the advantage on top. She watched the woman, hoping whatever she was doing was the right thing, going with a mix of circling and thrusting to tease the woman through a mix of clitoral and vaginal stimulation.  
   
Lorelai was just as encouraging, using her fingers to spread the girl's pussy out more. _Oh wow_ , she thought to herself, _is she sure she's not a virgin anymore?_ She was surprisingly tight and Lorelai guessed that Jamie wasn't going in all the way, just enough to tickle and get at his own spot, nothing else. She pushed two knuckles against her walls, pushing in and out...  
   
"Ssssssaaaaaiiiiee!!" Paris was getting even more wound up, sucking in her breath as the new stimulation got to her. "Lorrrrr!!!!"  
   
"Like...that?"

Paris nodded. "Shit!" She pushed her fingers deeper within Lorelai, trying to find the spot. "What are you doing to me?"  
   
"I'd ask you...the same.,..thing..." Pushed up against each other, Paris moved her other hand to Lorelai's firm butt to get a grip on things. "Yeah...yeah...Paris...yeah...."  
   
"Tell me if I'm doing right to you...please....oohhhhh...." She tightened her eyes closed, teeth gritting together, finding Lorelai teasingly near her most sensitive spot. She kept looking, feeling...Lorelai had her hand sliding down from her hair, towards the small of her back. She wished she could unsnap to skirt, but held back, no matter how tight Paris felt.

Paris tossed her hair back, wanting to look at the woman without interference as Lorelai pushed closer and closer to where Jamie never ventured.  
   
The brunette could swear that was the sexiest thing she'd ever seen in her life. The solitary girl who lived to torment her daughter, tormented herself.  
   
 _But not in my arms_. In and out, in and out, her fingers kept steady, knuckles against her walls, until her finger drifted a few millimeters off center, where she expected nothing to happen.  
   
Paris stiffened at that moment and found herself convulsing, the small fingertips getting right where there needed. Despite the setting, she screamed, loud and hard, her eyes focused on the ceiling above.

Her hand went deeper, hand gripping tightly at a cheek as the first reaction went through her, so unexpected and so right to her. Her mind couldn't even think, pleasure overwhelming words. Jamie had **never** got her right there, at all. She was so convinced he never would, that the idea of one pleasurable point within her vulva was considered by her to be a 'fake sexual fact planted by the sex industry to convince the female populace of an area resembling a female equivalent of the prostate which brings about the same euphoria in women which men have.'  
   
She owed Sue Johanson a **BIG** apology. Her panting became rushed, tight, closer together, and it encouraged Paris to push her hand deeper within Lorelai. It didn't take so long after to find Lorelai's own spot, the deep blue stare widening in front of her, fingers right where she needed. Lorelai bucked up against Paris furiously, then down, and then up, keeping the touches along her clit and inside for as long as she could ride it out.  
   
"Oh Par...oh Par...oh, oh, oh Par...yesssss!" The truncated name was repeated over and over again, both women heading towards full satisfaction. The kissing between them became deeper, the touching with open hands frenzied, trying to find a spot to drive each other crazy. Lorelai went with the underside of Paris's breast, as Paris found the other woman's abdomen perfect. Screaming into each other's mouths, sweat dripping from the both of them, the scene was undoubtedly touching and beautiful, with a touch of sudden sexual magnetism within everything to keep things in perspective.  
   
The young woman pushed close against Lorelai, her voice hoarse. "Lorelai...I...I...come on. Baby, I'm almost there."  
   
"Me too, honey, we're doing this together, please, come for me, spill...over." She was being driven nuts by belly circles and touching, nipple against nipple, on both sides. Paris's hair, hanging down from her scalp, like a golden curtain. "So tight...I can feel you pump so hard, oh, you're wet."  
   
"Same with you...dripping." Paris smiled, the stimulation against Lorelai's budding clit so much to bear. Even the sexually experienced woman hadn't felt this way, for at least years. It was an orgasm, on her terms, something the one-nighters and her former fiancé could never bring her to. She couldn't compare to Christopher, but she had a feeling that her fifteen year-old self was always under the impression that one of her own sex could never bring her to this point. Paris's hand nested in her deep hair, her nose crinkled as the stimulation spread throughout her, the familiar tingling of the orgasm beginning to arise.  
   
She thought that she could never compare to Jamie when it came to Paris's own pleasure, but the fountain was topped over. Their lovemaking had been gentle, experimental, the very essence of an Ivy League couple.  
   
Paris still had an SAT analogy ready to go in her mind, despite the focus on her fulfillment. _This just feels damned good! Like the good girl got seduced by the hot mom in the class_. She now knew exactly why the juvenile boys of the senior class put $15 a head on being with Chilton's ultimate  Mother I'd Like to... _well, spend time getting to know in an intimate matter_. Paris couldn't bring herself to categorize this encounter as needing that last letter/word combo to complete the phrase.  
   
Still, they were in the moment, no thought put in beyond that Jamie was treating Paris awful, and Lorelai's vibrator needed a rest. Paris started to feel her body overtake with a dizzying, relaxing feeling, her shoulders hunching up involuntarily with each new thrust in. She watched her own work below, Lorelai's voice deepening as excitement went through the tall woman. Their lips met one last time, for a long, deep, and meaningful French kiss. The taste of Paris's imported strong mints mixed with the permanent flavor of Lorelai's coffee and cream-flavored mouth. They pushed tighter, legs joining in to bring off the orgasm faster and faster. Thought was lost, morals were off, and it was just them, having an intimate moment, the rush of a raw fuck in the classroom giving them enough of a drive to get past their last gates.  
   
"Paris...Paris..."  
   
"Lorelai...oh my God...Lorelai!!" Her eyes were closed, but Lorelai went in for a last bite along the top of her lip to call on one last request.  
   
"Keep them open, I wanna see them roll back," a few more strokes. "The best part of sex is watching...this moment...the both of us..." Despite her usual tendencies, Paris opened her eyes again, the eye-closing habit picked up after Jamie finished a session of oral by having her spit his cum right back out while she was on her knees. The fingernails curled in place, three fingers in, tightened against Par's walls. "Feel you spill out...me too..."  
   
"I can taste you...I want to...come on, show me Lorelai, come for me...slicken my fingers for me..." Their voices gruff, the classroom with the unmistakable scent of their passion. "Baby...baby..."  
   
Lorelai couldn't stand it anymore, the way Paris used the endearment, it got to her so much. She tightened further around the slim fingers. "Paris, please, do it, bring me off!"  
   
"Lorrrr..." the syllable rolled from the blonde's tongue. "Oh God, oh God, oh God...Goddddd..." The warm feeling began to shoot through her. "Come on, I'm there, I'm there!!"

"Me too...oh fuck!" Eyes stayed on each other. "Paaaarrr...aauuuugggghhh..." They both cried out at the same time, their releases working through them before they could fathom it. Both were tightened against each other, hands stroking clits, both of them keeping their focus as they watched each other ride it out. Paris couldn't believe what was happening to her, her past encounters not ending up with her pelvis completely tightening up before her orgasm. With a flush face, she hyperventilated through each wave, calling out Lorelai's name in a high-pitched whimper, finding any thoughts of Jamie to be eradicated when it came to comparison.

She stared down at the woman below her, toes meeting Lorelai's still-on heels ( _How very porn flick of me_ , Lorelai thought internally), arms wrapped possessively at her petite waist. Lorelai found herself crashing over each final stroke of Paris's doing, hair hanging out of place, dress wrinkled into a thin heap just above her belly, trying to wrap her mind around the entire situation. All she could do at that moment was watch the damage she had wrought with Paris, hair cascading down, breasts going to and fro, the academic's body being so unlike the dull and unexciting woman she always thought of beneath the uniform of Chilton Academy.  
   
Slowly, the effects started to work off, Paris able to ride out the newly-found peak for as long as a couple minutes, while the more in tune body of the older woman had a smaller, but no less passionate fulfillment of a minute and a half. They kept saying each other's names in gratitude, slowly settling themselves down before they felt a quiet intimacy develop between them, their tight bodies strained by the sexual tension of the day, finally released. As Paris felt the remainders of her orgasm slip out, she collapsed upon the taller woman, against her chest and wrapped her arms around the woman as she returned herself to whom she thought she was, the unflappable taskmaster that could make even Walter Cronkite shake in fear at her strength.  
   
Some more silent moments were shared, her brain still in an overload contemplating the actions of the last half-hour. For her, this was a huge shock to the system, always being organized with how she was and prepared for what exactly came with being a sexual being. If she were to listen to her mother, sex was about satisfying the other partner, not asking too much of them when it came to your own stimulation, and being happy with what you have, no matter how it may pale to the fantasy of it all. That was how it was with Jamie, how it was supposed to be.  
   
She didn't know if she could go back to that after this encounter. To hear Lorelai go from whimpering in her presence to warn Rory away from the booth via her cell, to complimenting her plain and understated beauty and giving her the advice she craved, Paris felt her respect and admiration soar for the older brunette. She especially was shocked that Lorelai kept her arms wrapped around her, keeping her in a hug, even after the sexual moment had ended, leading into the afterglow. Jamie would have already been up and changing into pajamas after cuddling for a small few minutes.  
   
The hotelier, on the other hand, was spent and relieved that Paris had turned out to have more up her sleeve than meets the eye. She was utterly fulfilled, her desires tamed and body relaxed for the first time since she got the overnight call that the Independence was being consumed in an inferno. The stress of the two months, trying to line up a temp job while hoping the Dragonfly situation would go her way, those were out of her head temporarily, the smaller and younger woman laying atop of her enough to make her remember that youth was still with her, and she was blessed, in many ways.  
   
 _I still can't believe...that...it turned into this_. She intended to give Paris only advice, but instead found her latent attraction for the smart girl coming out of hiding, the protective layers of town opinion and that of her daughter and mother gone, giving her leeway to flirt with her. She never imagined that flirting and teasing would turn into them hooking up in a classroom, much less in the space of a few housrs.  
   
She also knew that her comfort zone and the rules of her self-created handbook had been violated. She never expected to have romantic feelings for a woman, much less someone who, like her, book-ended the ages of a demographic group well-tracked by marketers. She expected Paris to be passive, but in the end, both of them were beyond aggressive in their style of lovemaking.  
   
They both were thinking of the future in that moment, within each other's sexual histories ( _Female experience, check!_ Paris thought, her mind having the picture of her iCal's to-do list within). However, they were still close to each other, still hugging, not wanting to let go. The moment was overwhelming and beautiful, both girls not ready to leave.  
   
Silence continued as the afterglow settled, until the sound of a high tone coming from the intercom speaker shook them out of their tired gazes and warm embracing.  
   
"Damn it," Paris groaned, "the warning bell for five o'clock."

"Is that when we have to leave?" Lorelai said tiredly.  
   
"No, we have to check in with the office at that time so the janitor doesn't have a cow when he comes by and sees people still working in a classroom." She started to slide out of Lorelai's grasp, despite her annoyance with the policy. "He gets all huffy and 'Charleston better call an assembly about this!' because it throws off his usual working pattern, evens first and odds last in this building."  
   
"He doesn't happen to speak French with a high-class accent, act like a snob and disdain all customers, does he?" Paris laughed lightly, knowing the immediate allusion.  
   
"More of an odd variety of Spanish actually, definitely a loner guy. If he has a wife at home, he hasn't been satisfied since 1989 in my estimation." She looked down from the top of the desk, looking at the spread-out papers and articles of her clothing thrown haphazardly around the area, including Mr. Ernesto's nameplate. She pushed down her now wrinkled skirt from the tuck in the waistband, the stiff fabric conspiring to keep it up. "Still, no way he can walk in on us."  
   
"I hope not either." Lorelai got up, feeling sore in her upper back from having the encounter on a smooth desktop of stiff cherry. "Owwwww, ow, ow!"  
   
"I’m sorry," Paris said, visually wincing and feeling horrible for putting the woman in pain.  
   
"It's all right, I've had worse sexual positioning before, much worse. Max eating me out against the brick wall of his loft comes to mind." Lorelai smoothed down her dress across her legs as Paris visually shuddered from Lorelai's comeback. They began to slowly start to dress when Lorelai handed Paris back her discarded blouse. Both of them kept their stares on each other, Lorelai continuing to stare at the blonde's breasts as she slipped the shirt on, deciding to forgo her bra so late in the day.  
   
Paris kept her attention on Lorelai's gaping, bending down on purpose to keep those eyes trained on her goods, testing to see what it would take to stop the stare. She walked around, slowly pushing each button back into their assigned holes. _She's not stopping_ , she thought proudly as she tucked the blouse back into her skirt which caused her hardened nipples to stay erect and visible in the blouse.

She turned towards Lorelai and slid a finger onto the tip of the woman's chin, startling her to look up. Caught, she looked up at a smiling Paris, as she blushed furiously at behaving like a love-sick teenager.  
   
"As much as I'd like you staring at my breasts all night, you have to stop." She offered her hand after buttoning the shirt just enough to cover herself up and had Lorelai stand next to her.  
   
"I...I can't help it, you're a beautiful girl," she stated shyly, biting at her lip in a way uncharacteristic for a mature lady. Shocked, she felt Paris's hands at her waist, as she attempted to roll the bodice of the slip dress back up her.  
   
At least, she tried to. The flimsy spaghetti shoulder straps had both been broken in the foreplay, most likely leaving Lorelai in a very large bind if she wanted to leave the school without violating decency laws. She blushed and Paris looked down, cursing herself for being so rough.  
   
But Lorelai quickly found a solution to the problem that would suffice at least until she could get home and mend it. "Hand me that stapler next to you," she asked, looking towards one of the few things not thrown off the desk. Paris was relieved, thankful that Lorelai's tough times taught her how to improvise at a moment's notice. Handing over the stapler, a tight unease left her chest when the woman put three staples in each strap to attach it to the dress.  
   
"My own personal MacGyver," Paris cracked, smiling. "Sometimes I think your daughter underestimates your intelligence."  
   
"What do you mean?" Lorelai froze, stunned by the unexpected compliment. "She's the smart one."  
   
Paris shook her head, taking the stapler and pushing herself close to comb her fingers through the taller woman's voluminous locks to smooth out the 'sex' style she sported. "Lorelai, as far as books and uninteresting facts, we both have you beat by miles. But you know more than you ever let on, and I'm in awe that you've learned more on your own than you ever did when you were in Hillside." Her hands trailed down her arms slowly. "There are times I just stare at you, whenever I'm in the Hollow or else you're here visiting or with the parent's association. You have a realist mindset that interests me and when you're there with all those parents who think of it as a break between soccer and cocktails as you try to argue them away from some vapid legislation they put through, you're cracking wise, using your sarcasm to push what you want through. When you're at home, you know how to use a mix of sex, empathy, and care to get your way, be it at the Inn or your town's meetings." She looked up at Lorelai, watching a woman feeling her heart swelled, shocked that of all people, Paris was complimenting her. "I've been thinking over these last three months, ever since I got my rejection and had to go through the pain of seeing Rory accept Harvard, my pathway to there meeting a dead end."  
   
She pushed closer, her cool hands now bringing her into a hug that was the polar opposite of the unexpected one of earlier in the day. "Maybe I need to stop thinking of myself as having to please everyone to get through life. Just being here today, talking to me, understanding without having this big life plan you followed, then saying that I didn't have to settle..."  A tear fell from one of her eyes, a sob coming through her throat. "I never would have thought you'd...that...that you'd care for me, Lorelai. I don't know that feeling very often, but I know that you don't usually...that..." Beginning to break down, Lorelai moved her hands across Paris's back in a calming motion, hushing her, letting her feel what she wanted.  
   
"It's OK, let it out, Par, and let it out." She crouched down, letting Paris rest her head in the crook of her shoulder. "I don't know what happened today, but I know that you need help. You get so wound up and have no outlet to take that tension out on, and it hurts me to see that my daughter is closing herself off to you, just because of Jess. I wish that I could make that clear to her, but it's all 'I'm going to Harvard, Jess got a English Lit scholarship at Boston U., we can be together now.' I'm disappointed in her, but I'm also angry that instead of being able to confide in her that Jamie treats you like he does, you had to spill it to me." A beat, and a sigh, Lorelai released Paris a bit so they could be face-to-face. "I still think that what he's doing is wrong, and he needs to shape up, fast. He's lucky to have you, and--"  
   
Just then, Paris kissed Lorelai, again, softly, this time without the force or lust of the suddenness before they heated the flirting. Just as quickly she released, and the woman was once again in shock, Paris explaining her new action, caressing the nape of Lorelai's neck.  
   
"He has one more chance," she growled out sternly, giving out her own ultimatum towards him.  
   
"What are you talking about?" Lorelai was stunned, Paris releasing her hold on her and moving to collect her shoes and backpack on the other side of the room.  
   
"You're right, I deserve to be treated better," Paris stated strongly. "Jamie gets one more chance to realize how much I want to be treated as an equal, not arm candy." She tossed Lorelai's sweater back towards her on the way to pick up the jacket. "So he has that long to prove he loves me, for life." She watched Lorelai bend down to pick up her sweater. "He has to listen to me, see things my way. You did today, and I'm grateful to have your ear, your arms..." she looked up, smiling as she slipped on each of her socks. "I'm not feeling so afraid anymore to face up to him and his Princeton friends."

Lorelai slipped on the cardigan, stunned silent by how strong the girl was, only a few minutes ago putty in her hands. _Amazing_ , she thought, _she's like the Rudy of dating, ready to take all comers once again._ Inside though, she felt a pang of something she couldn't touch upon, seeing that Paris was physically distant to her again. She couldn't figure it out.  
   
Outside, she let her confident self show though. "See, that's the spirit, just go in and let him know you mean business."  
   
"I will." She slipped back into her shoes, lacing them back together quickly, a habit known since her first day of school way back in her Chilton Country Day preschool days. Still, her mind was going through the ramifications of what she had just done and she felt a shift in her relationship priorities. Looking over at Lorelai and thinking about how just a touch, caring or sexual, brought down all of her defenses. She was confident about Jamie, but as for Lorelai, her body and soul were unsettled. _Just stop, it didn't mean anything_ , was her rationalization, _we've both been itching for a good get-off lately, and it's done. You're going to look at her funny from now on, but you can trust her. This won't get out.  
_    
Her heart was still beating triple time though, just by staring at Lorelai from across the room. Her dress a wrinkled mess, one knee exposed, the other with the fabric drooping down from the hasty repair to tide her to Stars Hollow. The mess of her face, lipstick covering it like a dark blush. Then there was her walking, an unsteady gait that gave Paris a true sign she hit the right spot when she was intimate with the innkeeper.  
   
Jamie wasn't on her mind...Lorelai was. The fact that she had been cheating on her boyfriend with her was overshadowed by how wonderful she felt having an experienced hand working her perfectly. The conversation wasn't bad either, certainly better than Jamie's boast he could make varsity lacrosse next season which usually followed their sessions. If she was lucky though; most of the time, it was a roll off her and right to sleep, leaving her stuck to clean up with a Kleenex before falling asleep herself.  
   
 _I could get used to this_ , she thought, walking over to retrieve her messenger bag, pushing it over her shoulder and shoving the bra inside, hiding the evidence. _But I won't. She has a crush on the diner man; I can't compete with that._ She began to get ready to leave, able to accept that this could possibly be the last time they'd see each other.

Lorelai had the same thoughts in her mind, except that her thoughts on Luke had changed since Nicole. She knew there was a hidden thing between them, but with the two of them preparing for a cruise, she kept seeing them together, and was resigned to think of herself as missing a chance. She couldn't compete with the lawyer and didn't want to, no matter that she had more history with the guy. She still loved the diner, and the man behind it, but she wanted to let go.  
   
Being with Paris was a good first step on that. And as Paris began to go on about the proper safe depositing procedures, Lorelai stopped her near the door, taking her by each arm. The blonde felt startled, thinking that she was about to be told to hush for the sake of Lorelai's reputation, but instead, she heard something different from her.  
   
"Lorelai, I...I promise you, I won't tell anyone."  
   
"Hey, I won't either. I just wanted to say..." she paused, taking in her first female partner since some awkward fifteen year-old experimentation. "I'm not going to forget this, this morning, or the afternoon, or the fact that we...well, you know, like we did."  
   
Paris smiled a little, feeling relief at the promise. "I won't either; it'll certainly be a fun story to tell the grandchildren."  
   
"Wow," Lorelai laughed, "I want to be there to see that! I'll be able to scar a child without even saying one word, awesome."  
   
Paris rolled her eyes and huffed. "You know what I mean, Ms. Gilmore." She then shook her head and brought herself close to the woman. "I just want you to know that if you think I have disappointment and dread over this, I don't. I can't really; you've explored more than Jamie has and talked things out. Besides," she smirked, trying to hold back how she felt about it but failing as her eyes lit up, wide, revering Lorelai. "You were really good."  
   
"Oh, I was?" Lorelai was surprised with the appraisal.  
   
"Mmm-hmm." She released herself from Lorelai's grasp. "You've also convinced me that I'll just go with the $1,671.25 figure. If I lost $20, eh." She used a dismissing motion. "Just too lazy to care after being with you." She started to walk away and the both of them felt a heart rush, their eyes still meeting as they began to break apart. "I have plenty to think about when it comes to Jamie though, and next time we go out, he's going to listen to every word I say."  
   
"He better, Paris. If there's someone who deserves to be happy, it's you." Lorelai smiled at her, loving to see the usually sullen girl in a good mood, one she caused. "I'll take care of the cash box if you want to get going; I know you have a couple of finals yet and I put you off-track."

"Yeah, I suppose. I'm just this far from Rory," Paris said, demonstrating their grade distance with pinched fingers. She stared at Lorelai one last time, the glow on her features not going away anytime soon. "But, I think I might put it off for a little longer. I could use a shower." Without waiting for Lorelai to say goodbye, she turned around, opened the classroom door, and saw herself out, the final words, said in that deep monotone, embedding right in Lorelai's brain stem as the door shut behind Paris, the window covered by the blind blocking one last ogle at Paris's backside.  
   
 _OK, stop, it's done, get back on what you're here for, collect the money, give it to the activities coordinator, and get out of here. No need to wallow in this_. She shook off the events of the day, trying to get back to business as she tried to put everything back on the desk the way it was pictured before she found DirtyLorelai coming out of hiding within Paris's arms. She took the key out from her heel and prepared to take the cashbox to the other building, all the while hoping that no one noticed the awkward hang of her damaged dress and wayward hair. Gathering her handbag into the other arm, she was about to leave the classroom, taking the memories with her.  
   
But then, one of her heels hit a soft object, not hardwood flooring, startling her and making think she was about to fall and break the shoe. She lost her balance for a moment, but then came back quickly, holding her chest like the wind was rushing from her lungs. It felt like something not part of the floor.  
   
She bent down to pick up whatever, thinking it was a stray Kleenex or scratch paper she had forgotten to pick up.  
   
Her eyes widened as she took it into her hands and her face got hot. She took in a deep breath as she realized what she was holding, along with something that the always organized girl she had just been intimate would probably never forget. Lifting them up with care, she suddenly felt a mix of guilt and desire.  
   
"Fuck. Oh God, I have to get these back to her. She's going to kill me..." She rose back up, holding the pink satin panties of the girl, dampness still present in the crotch of the article. "Come on, I can still get her in the parking lot I'm sure..." At the risk of theft charges from taking the cash box out of a school building, she prepared to run...

Except that her purse was vibrating and chirping. She was surprised by the familiar tone of an incoming text message and though she wanted to catch Paris, text messages had more priority than her own sex life. For all she knew, Rory was messaging to say that Jess was out of condoms and she lost her pill compact down the toilet. Or that the Dragonfly was burning down, and the fire leapt over town and was taking out Luke's. Or maybe Adam, Alistair, Alex, whatever the hell his name was finally getting around to making a fifth date with her.  
   
She put the purse down on the desk, took her phone out, and flipped it open to read the missive...  
   
 _Lor, I left them there, keep em. Call it an even exchange for the skirt. Enjoy - Par  
   
_ With that, Lorelai's mouth dropped open as she put the phone down on the desktop and felt herself rewetten all over again. Her breath rushed, and she felt tingles all over her body, trying not to think of Paris in that skirt borrowed two years ago for the date with Tristan, pushed up those smooth thighs of hers, not impeding her from rubbing against her.  
   
She stopped herself, sitting down on the desk, trying to force those images out of her head, continuing to hold the briefs in her hand. "I shouldn't be thinking like this, I shouldn't. This is Paris, the girl who is trying to beat my daughter for valedictorian. This is wrong, this is wrong, this is so very wrong..."  
   
Her other hand on her thigh, and the remembrance of the buxom swell of the heiress's bust however, kept her dirty side in full control of things. She was satisfied for the first time in a year and a half, fully wanting, her pride swelled that she was still the sixteen year old she always was, able to bring a soon-to-be college freshman to her knees. Not literally, but...  
   
At that moment, she thought of the exact image, Paris worshipping her with that 180 WPM implement of hers.  
   
Her eyes rolled back, body tightening up on her. Putting the phone in her purse, she looked down at the underwear, her voice hushed with desire for her building thoughts.  
   
"That's it. You, me, and the Magic Wand, the moment we get home. Gah, that girl is going to be the death of me!" She shoved the lingerie into her purse, checked the classroom one more time to make sure there was no proof that there was a sexual encounter, and turned off the lights before clicking the lock and shutting the door behind her.  
   
"Room 236 isn't going to be the same to us again," she said to herself, turning on her heel and walking with a bit of a stumble, though still poised and strong, down the hallway, towards the financial office, as the thoughts of the day that just passed between her and Paris went through her with every step.  


* * *

**_ To be continued...  
_ **  



	2. A Growing Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lorelai thinks she'll be spending a boring night at home while Rory sleeps with Jess, but Paris quickly makes her realize that their one-time thing was meant to be more.

**Title: The Innkeeper's Lover | Chapter Two | A Growing Connection  
Author: **Nate  
**Pairing:** Paris/Lorelai, 3rd person POV  
**Spoilers:** Nothing spoiled; between _Here Comes the Son_ and _Those Are Strings, Pinocchio_. Again, Paris is undecided about going to college, Lorelai's ready to buy the Dragonfly, and both Rory and Jess are Boston-bound. Also I bumped up the auction one day after graduation for future plotting purposes because we're not confined to 44 minutes in fanfiction and Lorelai deserves to concentrate only on getting the inn.  
**Rating:**   NC-17 (sexual situations, flirting, a younger/older relationship between two women, mentions of masturbation, profanity, and a joke about Tori Spelling you can see coming a mile away)  
**Disclaimer:** You know I don't own them, but as it's required by fanfiction law, I must remind you that Amy Sherman-Palladino created _Gilmore Girls_ , Hofflund-Polone helped produce it, Warner Bros. Television put them on the air, and David Rosenthal was more than likely enchanted by shiny objects or _Project Runway_ repeats while he was executive producer(get over it dude, she's married to Seal). I still can't explain Olivia and Lucy however, I think they got lost on the way to _Gossip Girl_ or that CW infomercial they air every Sunday night. Or they were looking for _Zoey 101_. Who knows, they weren't Madeline and Louise.  
   
All the programs, networks, universities and products mentioned within are the property and trademarks of their respective owners, and no disrespect is meant or implied. The spelling bee jokes were based on humor seen on _Cheap Seats_ from Randy and Jason Sklar, an ESPN Classic production. I know I don't have to credit them, but I feel better doing so.  
**Archiving:** GilmoreGirlsSlash, RalSt, and aff.net. You will **not** find this on fanfiction.net; I feel it is way too explicit to meet that site's TOS. Everyone else, ask before archiving.  
**Summary:** Lorelai thinks she'll be spending a boring night at home while Rory sleeps with Jess, but Paris quickly makes her realize that their one-time thing was meant to be more.  
**Author's** **Notes:** I have been very surprised at the positive feedback I've seen from the first chapter of this story. I wrote it as if it could be a one-shot if it didn't happen to work out that Paris and Lorelai weren't an in-demand couple, but even though this was posted to fewer venues than usual, I still received wonderful reviews and positive feedback about what I could do in future chapters, so thank you to all my reviewers for their kind words.  
   
I did want to bring up one question addressed by a reviewer; why I'm using 'Lor' and 'Par' as the women conversate with each other, when the 'Lor' name apparently has a history with Lorelai/Christopher shippers. Personally, I don't read L/C fics and stay away from them entirely as you might know from my past stories and author's notes, and I don't think that guy should have ownership over a nickname. To put it simply, Paris is a blunt girl. She would shorten Lorelai's name, and you have to remember this is femslash. The awkwardness of another guy using that name with her isn't there for Lorelai, and in the heat of passion they aren't going to use full names. Do I see Luke using it? Not really, because we've seen them on-screen and in many stories and that he uses her full name. But Paris is comfortable with nicknames well enough that she could definitely get away with calling her 'Lor'. Whatever history that name has with Lorelai within her relationships, it doesn't matter to me because these are women growing towards realizing they love each other, and the focus should be on their relationship, not what they call each other. Also, Paris is about to leave school here, so she can become more relaxed and use 'Ms. Gilmore' less than she had to during her time at Chilton. I hope this clears up that question.  
   
You may note that this chapter is a bit rough...unfortunately I ran into a force too great for even me to overcome...my beta Danielle's last semester of college. I still love her though, even if school's keeping her from doing things she really likes to do. Thus, beyond a couple of once-overs here and there, I am putting this out unbetaed, so if there's anything to fix, please, let me know. Also thanks to The Raven for her views on the first chapter, which were much appreciated and welcomed. I really enjoy reading her reviews, and the long ones with plenty of points are the ones keeping me pounding out the words in Word.  
   
I'm hoping once again this inspires others to try out Lorelai/Paris and I want to read your feedback and stories to compare and contrast if you do. Also, remember this will be written in times where I have low _Longing_ inspiration, so updates are more here and there than they are with that. Still, enjoy and let me know how you liked it so I can write more!  


* * *

"Gah, why do I bother paying Comcast $100 a month? I have all the channels I could ever need, yet I can only choose from _COPS_ , three year-old multiplex duds, one Lifetime movie, another Lifetime movie on the Lifetime devoted to only Lifetime movies, and awful teen shows? No wonder there's no one watching TV on a Saturday night!'  
   
That grumble, emanating from one Lorelai Gilmore as she circuited around the channels on her couch, was currently defining this last Saturday of May, where she was stuck at home alone, while her daughter had somehow talked her into staying upstairs at the diner as Luke made his annual post-Memorial Day trip up to the Berkshires to fish. Though she was leery about exactly what Rory and Jess were doing up in that apartment, she put it out of her sight and mind for her own sanity. She was thankful that her offspring had spent $30 on things like spermicides and other items to add onto the protection of her birth control pills, 'better really, really safe than sorry' being the watchwords that assured Lorelai that the Harvard freshman would not meet her same fate.  
   
Her mind wasn't on that however, since it was now in the upper 400's, watching the blurs of guys using fat sticks to hit small balls on various channels with weird initials, like YES, MSG, OLN, NESN, FSN, ESPNEWS, GRUNT, BOOM, MESTRONGSPORTSGUY. Well, those last three were within the woman's alphabet soup of her mind, though they weren't real networks. "I knew I shouldn't have turned down more Dragonfly research with Sookie," she said to herself, feeling like she'd never find something to watch. She wasn't in a movie mood, nor did she have any inclination to turn on Channel 59's horrible 80's movie of the weekend which filled time when UPN was off for the weekend for mocking material.  
   
Eventually though, she found something to enjoy, and finally rested the channel buttons when she hit _What Not to Wear_. This week's featured catastrophe for Stacy and Clinton to deal with, some alderwoman in suburban Kansas City looking to be mayor of her town, but still stuck thinking Florence Henderson was the height of a well-dressed woman. "Plenty of Wessonality, but no personality," Lorelai quipped after she cracked up watching the secret footage reveal in the Common Council room in front of her constituents and close personal friends. "This is going to be fun, she has some potential."  
   
She continued to watch, zoning out of her current life with her daughter sowing her wild oats, while her love life had come to a screeching halt. Thoughts of being a future cat lady danced in her head for a bit, at least until the show got to Lorelai's favorite part, the 360° mirror, where the unlucky recipient of the gift card had their wardrobe and current style mocked.  
   
Slowly, her concentration started to wear towards other things, especially when Stacy had her hands all over the contestant, going over each of the flaws of her outfit, how she could do better with her accessories and a different cut of skirt. Those hands sliding and pushing all over the woman, in a usually innocent way.  
   
Except, Lorelai found herself returning to ten days ago, and that afternoon in the classroom with Paris, in her mind. Every moment of their meeting on the desk was now etched into her mind, and the slim feel of the girl's fingers inside of her had slowly turned her sex dreams from a romantic Darcy type sweeping her away in various modern and historic guises, and instead towards a direction where she felt pleased only with a woman as her sexual partner.  
   
Specifically, Paris. She couldn't stop thinking of the girl at all, and it had changed her view of women. Before, she tried her best not to think of them as sexual objects, easily done since the only other woman she had dreamt of being with was Luke's old flame Rachel, and that was only a three-day detour before she realized that there was no way they could work out, just based on Rory's reaction alone from a small joke.  
   
Whenever the blonde savant came to her mind since then, however, Lorelai found herself a mess of nerves. She couldn't think of another time where a sexual afterglow took so long to fade. The girl's words, how much trust she put into Lorelai for her ranting about Jamie, she couldn't forget all of them, because Paris had never had a close friend who listened to her, no matter how much she seemed to make everyone feel uncomfortable with her uninhibited candor.  
   
It also moved into Lorelai's real life, as she took closer looks at the women in her coffee table magazines, spending more time looking at the young celebrities than she did reading the editorial content on beauty supplies. And for some reason, she found herself watching an entire episode of _J.A.G._ Tuesday evening after work, a show she usually mocked as silly and old, "Matlock on a Boat" as she called it once.  
   
It had nothing to do with how Catherine Bell filled out a naval uniform at all. At least that's what she kept telling herself, over and over again in her mind as the hour went on and she ate cheese puffs whenever the lead guy got on-screen, she didn't even really look at him at all as she watched, keeping her eyes on the leading lady. Not that she was looking, really. Or finding herself licking her lips at how Paris could probably do better than Catherine at wearing that, while getting off her client with a strong case.

 _I didn't mean 'get off' literally!!_ She screamed internally as she got up on Wednesday morning after having an intense sexual dream between her and Paris like that which shocked the heck out of her, and left her sheets damp.  
   
She was thankful not to see Paris all week, trying to avoid staying out of her way as Rory went on and on about how Paris was driving her crazy with last-minute demands to make their last _Franklin_ issue the best ever, and at the same time, driving through several things in student government that would be nice now, but regretted in the next year by underclassmen. The Paris of old was back, Rory was telling Lorelai, and that one moment in time that they shared was going to be fleeting and would have to be treasured forever, because it would never happen again.  
   
She knew Paris being intense was an everyday modus for her. But for once, Lorelai wanted to tell Rory that she was most likely overreacting to how she really was, and that she should calm down, because it was hyperbole. "She's kind," she told herself as she thought of her in a quiet moment at Friday night dinner. "Does no one see this, and will they ever?" The new perspective softened how the woman felt about the intense girl, that it was a defense mechanism for her rather than just how she acted, period. Recalling the evening in February after Paris learned Harvard didn't want her, the empathy she felt as the girl's heart broke and she wished she could have been the one to be the shoulder for her to cry on, recalling her own moment (and subsequent week in isolation) after the strip turned pink. That she had no one to talk to at all before she decided to announce her rejection, it had affected her. She wished she could take back all the worse things she thought of her.  
   
That exploring Paris was with her as she began to involuntarily wander her hands on her shirt as she watched Stacy 'size up' the woman. The touching was more at her end, but she enjoyed the feel of those slim fingers on her, showing her that Paris was the type to wander and play, even during the most bodice-ripping of encounters. Her thoughts wandered to the girl playing Stacy and squeezing her hips with her hands, the girl's soothing monotone replacing the dry voice of the dark-haired lady with the proud grey streak in her hair. She couldn't even imagine Paris going into fashion design, but the thoughts she was having were so appropriate to her fantasy.  
   
As the hosts went on and on while the lady tried to defend her 'Wardrobe by Dress Barn', she moved on herself, thinking of Paris's classic combination of casual wear, a sweater paired with a form-flattering set of pants, usually corduroys, and how much the fashion showed off her womanly curves perfectly. She had a feeling that she had been oft-mocked for her conservative wardrobe, but she always came back to places where the girl barked at her for something silly like a wrong food choice that would affect their debate strategy, or having Rory zig when she wanted a zag. Paris had a mean streak within Lorelai's mind, but she used it perfectly to get what she wanted. Never mind that the authoritative tone of voice she carried with her had been the major force to drive her to orgasms before bed and in dreams as of late.  
   
"Parissssss..." Lorelai hissed as she kneaded a breast through the flannel shirt, at first trying to resist the call to get herself off in such a way, but finding her sex drive beginning to rev up. She had starved herself of fulfillment the last three days due to other obligations, and to try to bring herself off without the help of her one-afternoon stand. Remembering how she was touched, and Paris's voice though, along with how she might look within something that her favorite makeover show host would wear, she fondled herself, thinking of Paris admonishing her for not having a dress bodice fitted to accentuate her bust.  
   
For once, she was thankful that she decided to have a wild night, going without sleep bottoms, content with the oversized flannel shirt covering down to mid-thigh. Fondling herself, she had an imaginary conversation with Paris, thinking of them in a mirrored room, Paris behind her as her fingers roamed the woman. She thought of herself in a t-shirt/jean skirt combination that she knew would piss Paris off, and the effect within the daydream helped her along.  
   
"Ooohhh, shit." Lorelai thought of herself being revered by the girl, bringing all her strangled thoughts through the week to the forefront. All the stress of trying to go after the Dragonfly built inside, along with not seeing the girl all week. She also felt a touch of jealousy, thinking that Paris would talk down Jamie like she suggested, and that things were better between them. For some reason, her inner monologue wasn't rooting for that end result.  
   
But she wanted Paris to get her way, and thinking about her be assertive was getting her hot. Thinking of Paris's hands as hers, she kneaded her nipples through the shirt, and brushed against her stomach, her body so sensitized and tightened in anticipation. She was doing things slowly, warming herself towards moving things up to her bedroom, glad to have the house empty so she could be as loud as she wanted while she tried to get herself off.  
   
She went on and on, nipples prominent in her current laying position through the flannel, dreaming of Paris helping her with undergarments. Her voice, tired and hushed, was used to relay the fantasy as an audible reality in her mind. Down from her stomach, she slid her hand across her mid-section until she was at the hem of the flannel, preparing to unbutton the shirt from the bottom to hasten the process further. So tight and wound up, Lorelai was on a tenterhook, her eyes shut as her fingernails brushed against the exposed top of her thighs...  
   
"God, I want you Par..." A sound was heard from the front foyer. She couldn't figure it out immediately, rising up, her eyes widening to wonder what it was. Out of habit, she threw the sofa throw across her body, to cover up despite her lack of nudity and buttoned up. Her blue eyes immediately darted towards the source, where she waited a few seconds to see if it was just some fly-by-night home mortgage broker posting an encouragement to refinance on her door, or something else besides that.  
   
It wasn't that; she then heard a hard knock on the bottom of the door, below the glass. Lorelai was startled by how strong the noise was. _Who could that be?_ She hadn't expected any company at all, and could only guess who it might be. She smirked, thinking of one possibility. _Christopher was probably left alone with Gigi for the first time. He doesn't know how to burp her, and he needs my help._ Laughing to herself at first, the next thought she had was on the other spectrum entirely.  
   
_No, it couldn't be. Mom? God, I hope not, what could she ever want? Probably to spend six hours tonight trying to iron down the dress Rory's going to wear at graduation. Never mind it won't be seen under her robe at all._ She hesitated, but a third knocking brought her out of her haze at trying to find out her houseguest through her lacking psychic abilities. She got up, pushing down the shirt as far as she could, and made her way to the front foyer.  
   
Just in case someone was trying to strong-arm her, she grabbed an umbrella for protection in the foyer. The frosted glass blocked her view of the guest, and she had to ask aloud as to who was knocking.  
   
"Ms. Gilmore," the person's voice asked. "Is Rory here?"  
   
Lorelai immediately rested the umbrella up against the wall, relaxed hearing the familiar voice, but only for a moment. Her motherly instinct kicked in because of a hesitation she heard within the question.  
   
Opening the door, she was surprised at 9 o'clock on the Saturday before final exams, to find Paris, who she knew should have been in the middle of Long Island Sound south of Bridgeport on the Grad Night cruise, on her doorstep instead.  
   
Not the usual strong and independent woman she found herself knowing, however. Still, knowing she couldn't breach privacy, Lorelai had to hold back probing further.  
   
"She's out with Jess tonight, Paris, at Luke's." The small slip of a woman was staring down at her shaky hands, clutching the thin strap of her handbag with a death grip. She was dressed up well, but Lorelai was too concerned to stare at her for long, wondering what Paris might want. "Did you want me to call her, I'm sure--"  
   
Paris held up her free hand, sighing. Her voice was normal, hiding the turmoil of the moment. "I guess I'll depart then. Obviously she's not in the position to help me out." She looked up at Lorelai, her solemn features betraying her current appearance. "I'm sorry to have taken time from you."  
   
As Paris apologized, Lorelai knew something was wrong from how Paris was in front of her. Usually standing proudly, the blonde was slouching where she was, her shoulders tense, the burgundy open-toed heels she wore stressing her feet. But it was her face that gave Lorelai a true picture of what was wrong.  
   
She had always envied Paris's clear skin, but Paris was so pale in front of her, it was if she had all the life sucked out of her. Her cheeks, flecked with streaks of mascara, the carefully applied lip color around each of her lips mussed along them, out of place. Her eyes were red, and Lorelai needed no closer examination to know that the girl had probably been crying, up to the moment she opened up the door.  
   
Lorelai knew what she was about to be told...she dealt with it moments after Dean's misconstrued confession of love to Rory.  
   
Only she knew that this time, it would be so much worse.

Paris tried to turn away after her apology, preparing to call her driver back and grabbing her cell phone. _She has no need for my problems_ , she thought to herself. _Better leaving them unmocked by her.  
_    
She was surprised to find Lorelai reaching out with one of her hands, and she grasped the hand holding the small grey device. She moved closer to take Paris into her.  
   
"Paris, I have ears too." Her hand resting on Paris's shoulder, she tried to calm her jitters. "I might not be her, but you need someone to talk to, right?"  
   
Paris nodded at her, but again, tried to hold back. "I do, but I shouldn't bother you."  
   
"I don't have anything better to do, there's nothing on TV, and my daughter is doing who knows what with that boy. Being here is giving me a respite from wanting to choke Hildi for another one of her hideous decorating choices."  
   
"Hildi? Who is she?" Paris directed a strange look at Lorelai, and she shook her head.  
   
"Never mind." She smiled, guiding Paris into the house and shutting the door, closing off her escape route. "The point is, I'm not letting you leave here without venting and calming down, you look like you need it." She stared at Paris while Paris draped her bag by the strap on the coat rack on the other side of the front foyer.  
   
"I don't though," Paris denied, her voice betraying her in that moment and cracking, "I'm fine, it's nothing you need not be concerned about."  
   
Lorelai sternly suggested otherwise. "The way you knocked on that door, you actually need to talk." She watched Paris start to fall apart in front of her eyes, looking defeated, filled with sorrow. "Come on, tell me what's happening."  
   
For the woman, getting Paris to talk about her problem was on par with having Michel and Sookie have a civil conversation for five minutes, if not impossible, a major exercise in frustration. Paris tried to deny any kind of problem, finding her way around all of Lorelai's openings over the next five minutes to start a discussion. The blonde tried to avert with talk about school matters, but was unsuccessful. Annoyance began to set in, and Lorelai felt like she was talking to another person in Hartford society who was just as stubborn as Paris, who just happened to have mothered her.  
   
"Ms. Gilmore, there's nothing to say," Paris implored, sitting on the couch, looking at her hands. "I would rather talk to Rory about these problems!" She rolled her eyes, trying to communicate that should take herself out of the situation.  
   
"Paris, come on, you need to get real here! You should be on a boat, but instead you're here, looking for a shoulder to cry on!"  
   
"I don't cry!"  
   
"Oh, can the 'we don't show emotion' bullshit, Par!" Right in her face, Lorelai found herself becoming angry with the girl. "You can't repress your feelings all the time."  
   
"I can and I will," Paris stated. "I have to talk about things in a calm, rational..." As she struggled to find words, Paris started to feel the stresses of the night come back to her, which she was holding back for her own sake. "I have to...have a clear head about this. I won't let my feelings get to me."  
   
"If you're so calm, why are you here?" Lorelai looked down at her, conveying concern as she continued to watch Paris's 'calm' hands shake, a leg bobbing up and down with a nervous energy. "And what feelings are going through you exactly?"  
   
"I don't know. I shouldn't say anything." Paris's lip quivered as she tried to dissuade. "How...how do you...how can you put this into words? I mean I've done everything right, doing all the perfect things, gave up some of my control issues, and--" As she went on, the blonde's voice became wracked with cries, her eyes cast down to the coffee table. Lorelai noticed that the girl was hyperventilating, her stomach rising and falling in and out.  
   
"Paris, come on, nothing leaves this room." She set her hand down on Paris's; hoping the familiar touch would calm her down.  
   
"I'm a failure." Paris said them, and then broke out into a sob. "Harvard doesn't want me, Rory wants nothing to do with me, and now Jamie..." Her usual statuesque composure was lost in the confession as her eyes tightened, and Lorelai watched her cry.  
   
"What happened with Jamie?" She was in shock, hearing from Rory only three days before that Paris was willing to work it out with him to the end.  
   
"More like what's not happening with him!" Paris looked up at her, and they began to move closer together. "He...he...he picks me up in the limo, and--on the way down to the harbor, he says that we need to talk." Trying to calm herself down, she bit down on her lip. "At first, I didn't think it was serious, but we get on the parkway, and suddenly, Jamie, he...he sprung something on me." A pause for hesitation, she brings up the courage to remember the moment. "He asked me if I had decided on a college yet."  
   
"Have you?"  
   
Paris shook her head, and from there, told Lorelai all about the limo ride from Hartford to Bridgeport, and how everything fell apart for her. Of how, instead of having a quiet and romantic ride down, maybe getting in a few snogs, she was treated to her boyfriend whining that he needed to have his rental agreement firmed up by Tuesday, and that she needed to decide whether she was going to the Shore for the summer or not.  
   
"I told him that I could visit, but living there wasn't happening. I have my nanny moving to Idaho in July to set up a knitting business, and I want to get her settled in before heading off to college. He's never understood my cling to her, but really, she's pretty much my true mom, she understands me more than Sharon." She sighed, recalling his reaction. "He thought I was being selfish though, and said that if I wanted to I could go to Idaho for a week with her, but no longer."

"Then he started to go into the whole 'Princeton will be good for you' speech, again!" Watching the woman in front of her react with shock, Paris gave Lorelai all the details of how that went. "And...I just wanted to tell him I don't want to go there, I have negative opinions about the school that I just can't get over, especially of his clique and fraternity. Frankly, I don't see myself enjoying the curriculum there."  
   
"Did he end it there?" Lorelai tried to keep her focus on Paris's eyes, but was having problems, trying to keep her own averted from her deep cleavage.  
   
"Oh, how I wish he did." Paris rolled her eyes as she got to another attempt to rein her in. "He then said if Princeton was unacceptable, surely I wouldn't mind Penn."

Lorelai felt her fists clench, really wanting to see Jamie in pain. "How is that any better?"  
   
"It isn't. He's trying to control me, like he did his ex in high school." She furrowed her brow, looking down at her lap. "I talked to her Thursday night, and she's at Arizona now. It seems like her breakup happened for the same reason. Once she said where she was going, he got angry with her, verbally abusive, domineering. She also didn't want to do the Shore thing last year, but eventually did after her parents whined about her not getting out of the house. It didn't take her but two weeks in New Jersey before she ditched him and joined her friends in Australia for their summer trip."  
   
"So this is a pattern with him." Paris nodded. "He harangues you until he gets his way and become his little plaything."  
   
"You could say that."  
   
"I take it you're just as cool to Penn as you are Princeton."  
   
Paris hesitated for a moment. "Penn is a joke, really. They might have a thriving off-campus scene, but their dorms are cramped, their medical program seems a little too packed in order for me to score one-on-ones with the professors, and frankly, I can't imagine myself so far away from the megapolis. It's true I'd be right between New York and DC, but its way too far from home, and Philly just isn't a town I've really taken to."  
   
"Well, that and their mascot is the guy on the oat container." Lorelai smiled, trying to lighten things up. "Quakers? Really? Who plays him, Wilfred Brimley?"  
   
For the first time that evening, Paris giggled, humored by the idea of cheering on a team represented by an anachronism. "Heck if I know, I don't even know what the Princeton mascot is, that's how 'not even close' it is on my list. I'll attend Princeton **Community** College before I attend the University. But yeah, I told him there was no way I was going to Penn."  
   
"So that was it?"  
   
Paris shook her head. "Would you believe he then said I should lower my standards and look at Rutgers, 'Nova, and Temple?" Rolling her eyes, she seethed. "Fucking Temple? Are you kidding me? Three words; low athletics GPAs. What makes him think I'd go there if their damn team can't even win a football game or a C in the classroom!"

"If you say he wanted you to look in Delaware next..." Lorelai jokingly threatened with a lightly closed fist.  
   
"Oh, he didn't," Paris said. "But finally, he suggested; are you ready for this?" Paris's voice softened as she tried to find the words to describe Jamie's last offer. Nodding, Lorelai signaled that she was listening, and brought herself closer, wanting to hear what final cockamamie idea the boy had for her.  
   
"He suggested that I live off my trust fund, abandon school, and..." As she recalled his words, Paris tried to keep herself composed. It was turning into a struggle, however. "He thought that maybe I could be less, and this is the word he actually used with me." Cringing, she spat it out like it was a profanity. "I'd be less _snippy_ if I decided that I would want to be a...a..."  
   
"Something Louise aspires to?" Lorelai knew what was next, the same term that Straub and Francine Hayden would have tried to define her life under if she hadn't decided to be independent. "Please, tell me he did not use those two words on you."  
   
"He...he said them. He said if I had such a hard time choosing, I should be a...trophy wife. That I didn't need school." Paris began to feel the tears coming. "I should give up."  
   
"How did you respond?" As Lorelai watched the girl break down, she felt bile rising in her throat that Jamie had blown his final chance. She remembered how firm and devoted Paris was that it was the end if he didn't bite.  
   
"I...I slapped him." She looked down at her lap, her face reflecting the building anguish. "Then I told him about my dream, how much being a cancer researcher meant to me, that I would go to the ends of the earth to attain it. If I had to go freeze my ass off up at Alaska-Anchorage, so be it. No one here on American soil wants me? I'm sure McGill in Montreal would happily enjoy me as a student. I poured my heart out to him, told him that the school didn't matter to me. I made it clear though, that if he wanted me, he would follow me anywhere I wanted to be."  
   
Stumbling over her words through a sob, the blonde then made it known what the nail in the coffin was. "I gave the most passionate monologue I've ever had, off my head, ad-libbing, giving him a final thread to latch on to. And then he just turned around in his seat, faced away from me." Handing over a tissue, Lorelai's heart lurched as Paris took her hand tightly. "He said to me, 'Enjoy your life without me, Gellar', shut himself off from me, and called...he called...oh God."  
   
"What...what did he do?"  
   
"He called his friend at Princeton and told him he was on the market again!'"  
   
With that last word, Paris lost her tenuous grip on calmness, relaying that her last words to him as she got out of the limo in the Gilmore driveway was a cold 'I hate you' which didn't receive a response. She had offered her heart, only to be turned down, and Lorelai did the only thing she could in the situation.  
   
She offered her shoulder, and her arms, and wrapped around tight as the petite young woman cried for her lost love. Lorelai found her almost inconsolable, but used her motherly instincts to assure Paris that it wasn't the end of the world for her. "You still have so much to live for," she reassured, "there will be others out there for you, I just know it."  
   
Paris shook her head, trying to argue that there wasn't, but the sobbing blocked her from forming any words. Just hours before, she was composed and beautiful, all made up, her hair perfectly sleek and shiny, done up in an upswept style, with curls and other beautiful embellishments.  
   
But now she was plain, tired and exhausted. In Lorelai's arms, she wished that she could act on her building feelings for the woman, built up since she left that classroom a week and three days before, using them as a distraction to dampen her sadness over Jamie.  
   
_I would be in the wrong though_ , she thought to herself, knowing that she'd rather have the older woman's friendship than nothing at all. As Lorelai told her that she didn't deserve such a jackass and rocked her back and forth in her arms, Paris pushed any romantic thoughts with Lorelai towards the back burner, just wanting comfort and understanding for the moment. It was all that she truly needed.

She was free, away from Jamie, at least physically. But as she began to settle down from her venting, she didn't know what was going to happen next with Lorelai. But she was going to keep herself from thinking of the brunette as a sexual object, no matter how much she was pained, wishing that she was the one for the woman. To be involved with the 'Scandal Girl', as some of the snider society mavens called Lorelai, would be a kiss of death for her.  
   
Quieting her sobs, she was able to take in Lorelai's words of wisdom. "How could he be so cold and hateful towards you at all? I just don't get it, you were willing to give him one more chance, another opportunity to make things right."  
   
"He's so traditional though, really. I don't agree with him on a lot of things, but he loved me, and I loved him. I wanted to make it work out, even if we didn't agree on everything."  
   
"I know, I know," Lorelai said, rocking her back and forth in her arms. "The thing with you is, he's not seeing how you were last year, or the year before. You're changing your ways to come off kinder and more empathetic, and I've seen that with you through the bitter moments you've had. Before, you would have blown up, but now you calm before you speak."

Paris confessed that maybe she'd never know the trigger point for Jamie's attitude change. "All I know now is that my future isn't with him."  
   
"Good riddance to heavy baggage." Lorelai smiled, letting her grasp slide from Paris. "Trust me, you'll bounce back. It's in your blood to do so, Paris. Pretty soon, all the ditzy sorority pledges at your new school will be running for their lives when you protest them using a Bratz doll as their mascot or something or other." She smiled towards the girl, her right hand on Paris's left wrist. "This is just a bump in the road, a problem to be dealt with. And actually..." she brought herself close to whisper in her ear. "One day you'll get to debate him on Fox News over stem cell research via satellite, and you will make him cower out of the studio with your kick-ass points."

Despite her usually serious self, Paris laughed at Lorelai's remarks, blushing a bit from how close she was to her. She could smell the woman's hair, a mix of an unplaceable berry blended with orchids within her shampoo. Shuddering internally, she tried to keep herself back on the track of wallowing over Jamie, rather than the overwhelming desire she felt for the older woman.  
   
"I will, won't I?" Paris blushed, trying to be modest.  
   
"Will? You're probably the only one who could make Bill O'Reilly pee his pants, you're that passionate." The first part of Lorelai's statement was said in her normal smart-aleck way, but when she reached the last word, her voice suddenly took a low timbre, as if she was trying to restart her flirting with Paris. She felt her heart hammer against her chest as she looked for a reaction from Paris, while her eyes widened. _Please, don't have noticed that inflection change. It wasn't meant that way, honest_. She felt Paris still for a moment, before returning to normal. Lorelai hadn't felt so nervous around someone for at least a couple of years.  
   
Like the time she tried to break up with Max in the classroom, as she reminded herself.  
   
Of course, that had lead her to remember who was watching that failed 'break up' in the window of the classroom door. _Funny how circles define us, 'cause this one is full_ , she thought to herself, wanting to hold back building emotions.  
   
She had to find a way to distract herself, and maybe help Paris recover for awhile and calm her nerves. For some reason, her heartbeat remained hard and fast, even after pulling away from the girl. For some reason, her sex hormones were suddenly on a full alert.  
   
"Um, Lorelai?" Paris distracted her, her voice soft, and a bit tired. The elder Gilmore jarred her attention back towards her. "I would...I mean, I've heard that you wallow at the end of relationships, is that right?"  
   
_Wallowing. Yes, I can talk about that, it's safe and usually sex and anything else is out of sight, out of mind. I can do that._ Smiling, Lorelai nodded in the affirmative. "Anything special you'd like to do?"  
   
Paris shrugged. "Actually, for right now, I'm all cried out, sort of exhausted from all of these pre-grad preparations and tired." Pausing to think about what she wanted, she had to run far, far away past a white elephant of a statement that simply consisted of "You." But she managed to keep her wits and come up with a minor list of things. "I know you're not much for cooking, but do you have any cocoa packets in the house?"  
   
"With marshmallows, yes."  
   
"Can you make me a mug up of it later?"  
   
"You can't live it up just a little?" Lorelai shook her head. "Swiss Miss is for sucky dates which end with your toes stepped on during a dance. I think you're looking for cookie dough fudge ice cream more. Now that is the ultimate first break-up kind of treat for yourself."  
   
"But I--"  
   
"Will get lactose pills for you, my treat, everything." She grabbed a piece of old mail from the coffee table and a pen next to it, and wrote down items on a list. "How about hot fudge with it? It's hot, like hot chocolate."  
   
Thinking about it for a moment, the girl went over it, and against her better judgment, ceded to the crazy woman. "Before I do that though, I want to rest for awhile, take a nap."  
   
"Alright," she agreed. "Like for how long?"  
   
"About a couple hours." Paris looked down while she yawned softly. "Can I nap on your couch, please, Ms. Gilmore?"  
   
Lorelai smiled, shaking her head. "I'm afraid not. Since you dropped the proper name on me, I'm sending you up to my room." A pause, as Paris directed an odd look at Lorelai. "But I would have anyway, since you'd either have to be batty, or my mother, to consider this thing a comfortable place to lie down."  
   
"I won't impose--" Paris was stopped immediately by Lorelai taking her by the hand and helping her up.  
   
"On what, me staying up until 4 o'clock going over exciting liens and awesome promissory notes while watching QVC for background chatter?" Another smile directed towards Paris. "I need to run to Doose's anyways, and if you'd like I can make you some mac and cheese."  
   
"What kind?" Paris cast a wary eye towards her, knowing that even with the innkeeper's friendship with a master chef, she still made a soupy Kraft dinner.  
   
"Fine, Easy Mac!" Lorelai confessed. "Sure, rub it in that I can barely sustain myself on anything that doesn't come on a menu, my best friend, or the line 'cook on HIGH for 5 minutes' next to it."  
   
"Hey, it'll do, I'm not in much of a position to complain." Paris serenely smiled, feeling a load off her shoulders at being able to grieve. "So you're sure, in your room?"  
   
"For tonight, _me cama es tu cama_. I'll get you up around eleven o'clock and then we can pig out and just be two wild and crazy gals. Also, if you'd like I won't mind you staying overnight."  
   
"I'm kind of stuck out here," Paris admitted. "I sent my driver home for the rest of the night; if I didn't come back around the block in a half-hour, he could drive off."  
   
"Good plan, I'd rather you be here than alone at home," Lorelai admitted, thankful that although Paris's mom wasn't the best, the people around her were supportive. "See you in a couple hours then?"  
   
"Yeah." Paris felt nervous as she began the climb up the stairs as Lorelai ran into Rory's room to borrow a pair of jeans. She felt thankful that her insides were no longer twisting as hard as they were about Jamie, and did feel more relieved after sharing her doubts with the mother of her best friend.  
   
She felt mixed, bitter that the girl she thought would be by her side at Harvard was letting her wander, not even saying a word about Jamie after asking her advice throughout the week, saying she wouldn't interfere. _Of course not_ , she thought to herself, _he's just enough for me. Meanwhile you get with Reb and it's all screw me over because he has that bad boy thing going on_. It hurt her that Rory hadn't been there to hear about her worries, and that she didn't care.  
   
Thankfully, Lorelai gave her better guidance as she thought about it going up the stairs. She lived through some of the same things, something her friends had never done. Lorelai had struggled and clawed to come out the way she was, and for Paris, to hear the war stories and advice from her, it gave her comfort that Jamie wasn't the be-all end-all of everything. Paris sighed to herself, letting unease out as she reached the top landing and looked over the bed of the innkeeper. It looked comfy, lived-in, very much homey. Not at all like the bedspread on her bed, changed out weekly and as antiseptic as could be.  
   
_It even smells of her...this room_. She took in the air of the room, letting it filter through her nose. She knew already that the unfamiliar space was more than offset by the woman who usually lay between those covers and the way she had comforted her so much in the worst moment of her life. Paris was settled to the fact she would have a nice, long calming nap, and as she unzipped her formal dress, hoped that no matter what sexual tension she felt with Lorelai, both of them could build something of a bond that she couldn't seem to find with Rory at all.  


* * *

Lorelai double-checked the slide lock to make sure that it worked on the front door as the last minute ticked towards eleven, to make sure in three years of disuse it would still engage, and it did. So she was a little paranoid that she had a girl with a $20 million trust upstairs in her bed, but she also wanted to make sure that no one walked in without warning. Especially not her daughter. _From how she felt, she didn't want anything to do with Rory after I answered the door_ , she remembered, and hoped that she was tired out across town. Paris deserved a bit of peace and quiet after her hectic week, and the painful end to her relationship.  
   
Along with no flirting on her end. She kept telling herself that she would only be a friend to the girl, no matter that even a thought about her as she grabbed the wallowing supplies at the market brought very un-Puritan images through her mind of their encounter the week before. They warmed her cheeks, and in the middle of the cereal aisle she could swear she could feel Paris's slim fingertips softly rub at her lips. But she managed to survive, and grabbed everything she needed for _Operation Cheer Up Paris_.  
   
Everything was all set on the coffee table; two large bowls of fudge cookie dough ice cream, a jar of Smucker's hot fudge, Utz cheese popcorn (she had a feeling that it was so artificial it had absolutely no real cheese or lactose in it), huge spoons and everything else she would need to keep Paris in a light mood. Lorelai felt sort of bad, though, since Taylor had pulled the Easy Mac because 'it makes the children of the town lazy. If they want something to eat after school, they should learn to boil pasta on the stove like the rest of us.' After all of these years, the woman still couldn't understand the strange shelving choices the seemingly permanent selectman made to stock his shelves.  
   
Taking a look over everything, she grabbed the remote and turned on the news on channel 8, figuring that Paris probably knew what was happening anyways, but background noise would be welcomed. Looking over her spread, Lorelai smiled to herself, thinking about her ingenuity after giving herself another hour of quiet time after she returned from the market.  
   
"If this doesn't cheer her up, I guess I'll dress up like a clown." In her mind, she didn't understand why she undertook all of these preparations for what was supposed to be simple wallowing. Was it the residual effects of last week's encounter, or was she just feeling extreme empathy for a fellow rich girl stuck with a life she didn't want? Whatever it was, Lorelai knew one thing.  
   
"She needs all the support she can get. I'm surprised she hasn't made up her mind on a college yet." Trying not to think so seriously, she tried to distract herself towards other non-Paris thoughts.  
   
Her aversion failed though when she went back to Rory and how she felt about her being alone. The 'I'm 18' excuse had been used, and eventually the younger Gilmore had worn her mother out and convinced her to have a night of fun. She remembered how unkind she felt she was becoming, unappreciative for the advice, maybe even getting a little cocky after the mid-May progress report came in, showing her topping Paris by about 20 hundredths of a grade point on the chart. She thought Jess was beginning to rub off on her in more than one way, but she wanted Rory to taste her own medicine if things went wrong.  
   
She was in no mind to think about her daughter right now. The emotional state of Rory's friend was much more important to her. Walking up the stairs towards her bedroom, she had her fingers crossed that the blonde had managed to find enough peace to snooze.  She tiptoed up the steps slowly, not wanting to startle her, and ended up on the landing without a problem.  
   
Walking into her room, she was glad that Paris indeed was calm and napping soundly, all of her blankets still straight, nothing thrown around the room at all in a nightmare of any kind.  
   
As she approached the bed though, Lorelai noticed next to the girl's shoes a lump of fabric on one side. The wine red garment was familiar to Lorelai immediately. She clenched up, sort of nervous.  
   
 _She wouldn't be. Right? I don't know how she sleeps, but she didn't have anything to wear under._ Lifting Paris's formal dress up on bended knee to hang it up on a closet door hook, the older brunette also ended up with her bra too, the light blue strapless lace odd in her hands. She tiptoed to the hook, hung the items up, and turned her attention back to the girl in her bed.  
   
Lorelai watched, quiet as she tried to sense what was happening. She heard some mumbling, barely discernable with other activity going on, but quiet and still, she tried to make it out. Paris had the blankets curled up around her, probably feeling a chill due to the window air conditioner against her back in the far side window of the dim bedroom. Lorelai barely breathed, trying to find out if Paris was dreaming about something horrible.  
   
"No, no, not right there." She coughed, pushing herself a bit more against the comforter. "Idoeneedeh thatide." The words were muffled against the pillow, until she turned to the cooler side of the pillow. "I wanna breathe in it."  
   
 _Dreaming about graduation, probably_. Lorelai felt confident she was dreaming about something innocent, probably her cap and gown fitting. Relaxing a little, she backed a bit more towards the closet, preparing to wake Paris up.  
   
"Lorelai!!" Paris screamed out her name tiredly. "Oh, my God. No, I don't care how much you pay me, I'm not going in there naked underneath!"

The woman's mouth formed into a round 'O' shape, and she held back a gasp. She closed her eyes, and suddenly felt as if she was violating a private sanctum. She shook her head, owing it more to frazzled nerves than anything sexual between them. _It's nothing, really_.  
   
"Ms. Gilmore, what are you doing?" Paris turned back to the other side. "We only have twenty minutes...what do you mean you don't give a damn? Your daughter will kill me."  
   
It was at that moment that Lorelai noticed that within the lump of blankets, one part was sticking out the most against Paris. Also, that it seemed to poke out as if attached to the end of an arm.

"Lor...don't pout, I'm sorry I called you Ms. How can I make it up to you?" She was hyperventilating, and the older woman watching her in the shadows of the moonlight was on the other side of the room, her legs still, no matter how much she wanted to move.  
   
"I do want to, really, but there's no time...someone could walk in!"  
   
The tall woman felt her heart hammer against her chest, hard. This was so very wrong for her, to be the fuel to this girl's fantasies. She should be concerned about the end of her relationship, and her future.  
   
Instead, on her own bed, the girl who was running through Lorelai's mind since their fun of last week, was having a sexual sleep-talking dream about her.  
   
It was killing Lorelai inside, as she watched the light on Paris's face go from a happy kind of calm, to sexually enflamed. Her nose wrinkled up, her body straightened, and next...  
   
"Oh, fuck!" She said the profanity with full force. "Lor..."

The dream's subject let her eyes pop open wide, and she tried to breathe again, mumbling to herself that she was breaking open that one thread of sanctuary Paris had left in the world.  
   
"I...I better just get outta here. She's not ready to get up." Lorelai blushed deeply, trying to direct her thoughts towards something boring as she tried to make her way back towards the door from between her closet and the foot of the bed. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have, I need to--"  
   
As she retreated, Lorelai forgot for a moment that a housekeeper she was not for twelve years, especially in her own bedroom. She had to step over a pile of clothes to get to the closet door, along with a leg for her vanity's seat. But with her focus on Paris's dreams, she forgot where to tread, and before she knew it, she was tripping over the heap. She tried to grasp for the end of the bed without success, and with momentum carrying her on, she fell to a hard and inglorious heap to the deep carpeting below after a twist or two, back first, her ankle trapped against the straps of a vintage black slip at the bottom of the heap.  Her ass hit the ground first, and because of the old construction of the floor below her, it shook everything within a seven-foot vicinity of the impact.  
   
It also woke Paris up. In her dream haze, she was startled by the shake as she regained her bearings in real life. She was pulled away from her dream, and her first reaction was that the peace of the small town was broken by some nut with an elephant gun. _Don't tell me Kirk provides midnight roofing services!_ She screamed internally within, not putting it past him to do so. She rubbed the sleep out from her eyes and tried to bring back her focus to see what the matter was.  
   
The first thing seen when she turned on the bedside light was the lady of the house on her back. Not surprisingly, Paris was much concerned about why she was. The comforter around her thankfully-to-Lorelai-clothed body, she immediately got up from the bed to offer Lorelai a hand up.  
   
"Uh, hey," she said nervously.  
   
"Hi."  
   
"Can I ask why you're on a heap next to the bed?" Paris smiled at her, with sleepy eyes.  
   
"I'm OK, really," Lorelai responded lamely. "I...I was trying to hang up your dress. It's satin. You don't want it to wrinkle."  
   
"And?" Paris brought down her hand.  
   
"I tripped on a pile of clothes going the other way."  
   
"You wouldn't have that happen if you could keep your room clean," Paris reminded.

"I do...I can maneuver around." Lorelai tried to defend herself, while the blonde shook her head. She grasped Paris's hand and began to get up. "It's a little cramped, but it's homey."  
   
"I'm not complaining about the space in the room, just how you use it." Taking her by the other hand, Paris kept her gaze northward, away from the flannel shirt riding up her legs. "Up, Ms. Gi--er, Lorelai." She helped Lorelai up the rest of the way, figuring that she would be out of danger after that.  
   
At least, until Lorelai hissed out, some signals being sent up her neurons from her left ankle.  
   
"Yooowwww...stupid ankle!" Lorelai cursed at herself. "Damn it, I've meant to get a hamper. I also have that elevator shaft like thingie in the hall to the laundry room, I should use it more."  
   
Paris filled in the vague term to take the focus from the woman's pain. "A dumbwaiter?"  
   
"You mean me at 19 in the Inn's dining room, right?" Lorelai shook her head. "I really haven't gotten injured in my room before. Strangled by a zipper, uh-huh. Attacked by my own laundry, that's a new one!" She tried to distract herself, while Paris bent down to detangle the slip from her leg.  
   
"I would suggest from now on your lingerie goes in a corner pile, not in the middle. Strappy items and shoes should be out of your way." Paris felt around the ankle with her hands, trying to determine if there was a sprain. "Just let me know where it hurts, I can judge whether I'll have to immobilize you."  
   
"What?" Lorelai paled hearing the complicated medical word. "I...you don't think I did that much damage."  
   
Paris looked up at her. "My Nanna tripped on a small marble and shattered her hip; it can happen with that, or a bowling ball. Now stay still, it won't take long." She circled her thumb and index fingers around the thin area of Lorelai's ankle, letting her fingers guide her. "You're standing and not hopping, so that's a good first sign. Just let me test...here." Lorelai felt nothing. "And...here." Moving her fingers down, she probed again. Again, no pain. "How about here, do you feel anything?" She touched her fingers to a small spot at the top of her ankle.  
   
"Owwww..." Lorelai didn't scream, but it wasn't a good sensation for her in any way. Paris sighed in relief, the panic she had washing away.  
   
"It's not too bad, thank goodness."  
   
"But I sprained my ankle," Lorelai cried. "It hurts." Paris shook her head.  
   
"Trust me, I'm studying this stuff, and I'm in a family of doctors. If it was bad you would've raced for the bed to take pressure off and been anguished with each step. Things would have been worse with a heavier piece of clothing against the ankle, but since it's just a spaghetti strap, just a minor hyperextension, and no sprain." She helped Lorelai to the bed, where she sat down on. "You're going to be fine."  
   
"Do I need ice?" Lorelai asked, worried. "Or Icy Hot?"

Paris shook her head. "No, but you're going to need to lie down on the bed against your pillow. If you stay on the leg you may aggravate something, but I know a little something that might help."  
   
"So you'll borrow me a Vicodin from your purse?"  
   
Paris rolled her eyes up. "Actually, something with a personal touch to it."  
   
"What do you mean?"  
   
"Lie down, Lorelai," Paris ordered.  
   
"Alright." Lorelai pushed the blankets over, and pouted. "I don't know what bedrest is going to do for it though, it hurts a little. I could use a Tylenol PM."  
   
"Not bedrest." She had Lorelai move towards the right side of the mattress to get just enough maneuvering space, and then pushed the blankets out of the way. "There's no need for pills either. It's an involuntary reaction to go after them right away, but if you treat it immediately, you'll be able to sleep well."  
   
"What are you doing?" Lorelai felt babied, a bit less independent. "Really, whatever it is, you don't need to do anything for me."  
   
"God, you're so stubborn." Paris smiled at her as she sat down on the mattress, trying not to let Lorelai's childishness get to her. "Relax, close off your mind."  
   
"Says the girl who had a coronary over Harvard," Lorelai teased, which sent a dirty look her way. "What?"  
   
"Hey, they can't handle me, fine. But they're going to miss me using my medical skills in a speedy and expedient manner meant to calm the patient."  
   
"Like--" Lorelai was about to ask what Paris was going to do, but was interrupted, as she found herself with the young woman's thin hands wrapping around her left foot, around her leg.  
   
"As I said, keep calm." Paris smiled as she began to knead her fingers across the thin skin at the top of Lorelai's foot. "This is what's going to unkink the bloodflow and let things get back to normal." Closing her palm across the side of the foot, Paris rubbed Lorelai slowly, letting herself guide where she needed to go.  
   
"Oh, wow." The other woman was surprised a bit, feeling so strange. "What is this? How...how do you know to do it? I don't see you being a major in the art of massage."  
   
She smiled slightly, letting her fingers drift up and down up the lower portion of the leg. "Does that feel nice?" Lorelai nodded. "I got it from my nanny; one of the things she used to do for me when I was younger would be to massage stress away from me after I came home from school. I learned it from her, and then I'd practice on her in turn after long days at the Manor. I just find it very therapeutic: that's why if I'm stressing I clench my fists. I let my thumb rub over the inside of my palm, circling it slowly, like this..." She slid her hand further up the woman's ankle. "I deal with problems internally, and most of the time, it helps."  
   
"Mmmm, yeah." Lorelai could already feel the numbing pain melting away from her, smiling and closing her eyes. "Oh, you don't know how good this feels. I don't usually ask anyone to do this at all."  
   
"Why not?" Paris asked, curious.  
   
"Too intimate," Lorelai responded, sighing. "Besides, that's what a foot bath is for."  
   
"So when you were with Max...never?" She saw the woman shake her head. "I'm surprised, you seem like you enjoy to be touched."  
   
"He didn't offer."  
   
"He should have." Paris huffed, annoyed at what they were talking about. "What is it about guys and always going for the obvious parts?"  
   
Lorelai, seeing an opening in the conversation, bit. "Are you thinking about Jamie again?"  
   
"Maybe, a little bit." Paris was nervous about bringing him up, feeling calm before then as her hands rubbed just below the sore spot. "I just keep thinking, should I have pushed him more? Was there something wrong with me that necking and slow making out was something that he didn't enjoy?"  
   
"He didn't enjoy foreplay, I take it."  
   
Paris felt a bit raw revealing her inner stress, but wanted to get it out in the open with someone. Looking at the woman, she felt she could trust Lorelai enough with the conversation. "I'm surprised he'd let me build him up for ten minutes at times. And on my end, I wouldn't be in the mood, but I'd do it, even if I felt so wrong and had to fake through things. I'd try to tease, be slow, but he'd be all 'Jake is getting back soon, suck me off!' I mean in that dorm, not the most romantic place in the world."  
   
"So he rushed things."  
   
She hated to bring up last week again, but felt an example was needed. "I didn't even know I could orgasm like I did. Thinking about him, trying to get off in bed, it never worked. I'd think about someone else, it was painful." Paris rubbed harder on Lorelai's ankle, on the sore spot. "I hate to be mean to him, but he was just so fucking vanilla, the guy had no imagination to speak of when it came to me." She clenched her teeth as she pushed another example. "Hell, I tried the old teacher/student chestnut, and he told me he wasn't into it because, get this, 'I can't imagine you getting into trouble or being disrespectful of authority!'"  
   
Lorelai felt herself tensing up even more. "You wore the uniform, right?"  
   
"I even flirted, it didn't work!"  
   
"Does he understand the meaning of fantasy?"  
   
"Who knows? All I know is, you were right. Thinking about him all week, into tonight, I was regretting that I gave him another chance. I expected him to change, but he didn't, and after baiting me in the car, I'm just so pissed at him. I put all of this effort into loving him, and he makes me seem dirty for being a woman with needs." Paris felt herself tightening up, wanting to close up, but kept herself open for Lorelai's sake. "I wasn't so much with the 'come and get it' like Louise does, but I thought I had a more understated kind of sexuality, that I built away from my mother and the influence of the other girls. I mean, I want to be surprising and open to things, but at the same time, I want to have a good head on my shoulders."  
   
"I think you do," Lorelai demurred. "Was it wrong that my first thought of you having a relationship when Rory told me about Jamie was of you into S&M?"  
   
Paris shook her head and gave Lorelai a dirty look. "Careful there, Lorelai. I can easily break your leg right now." There was a teasing smile on her face.  
   
"I don't think I'd feel it...mmmm." The hotelier shut her eyes, as Paris's working of her ankles began to turn more towards the massage direction. "And I know you wouldn't do it, you're more of a mental injurer than a physical one."  
   
"But I know three forms of martial arts, so you can't count me out." The girl slid her fingers up to just below the injury spot. "How is it doing? It looks like it's cooling down."  
   
"Like I never even tripped over anything, you were right." Lorelai began to settle more into the bed, previously feeling nervous and pained from the trip. "It's settled then, the next time I get injured, you're on call for me."  
   
"Glad to see my fingers are of some use." Laughing, Paris began to move her massaging strokes down towards Lorelai's feet. "I'm afraid I'm not grasping a whip with them anytime soon though. I actually..." She lowered her voice a bit. "...I don't mind being the one under control. It's sort of rooted in me."  
   
"So you don't mind being on the bottom?" Lorelai asked the question without thinking. She had been holding back from broaching anything about the classroom meeting, afraid that Paris would say that she regretted it all.  
   
But in Paris's mind, she was totally playing along, the residual effects of the dream still going through her. She felt tight and wound up from her nap, sexual tension running through her. Her eyes stayed on Lorelai's lower portion, ogling her legs and her hands enjoying the soft feel of her skin. _She's so much unlike Jamie_ , she thought to herself, thinking in broader terms besides her skin. _She let me go on without a dull interruption about a fraternity activity or the goings on of King of Prussia society. What kind of city name is that anyways, did they secede from the Union for awhile at the behest of that guy? What a presumptuous town name...wait, I never have to worry about that stupid town again! But I do need to take my mind off her, we can't work. But I have to continue the flirt, to bait her.  
_    
Paris smiled at her after a pregnant pause, just as Lorelai was ready to apologize, while circling her fingers around the arch of her foot, near the heel. "It doesn't matter to me where I am." She then slid her tongue across her top lip. "I quite enjoyed being against the blackboard, for instance."  
   
Lorelai closed her eyes, trying to draw out the reminder from her head, and just enjoy the bare touch of the massage. She remembered back, trying to shake it out of her head. _She's just playing with you, don't bait her on_.  
   
But her heartbeat and breath picked up, as Paris's circling drove closer within the deeper parts of her sole. She was blushing, so embarrassed she was getting this way over Paris. _I need to forget this, I can't continue to think this way. What if this is just a thrill detour, something out of "American Pie"? What do I look like, Stifler's mom?  
   
_ She tried to distract, bringing her thoughts towards something neutral, at least to her. Opening her eyes, she scanned Paris's body, trying to get an idea of what she was wearing, losing her distraction from the trip.  
   
"Umm, I'm sorry I didn't find anything for you," she said, honest and annoyed with herself. "I know normally, that would be your last choice to wear." She looked at the large t-shirt Paris had found in her top dresser drawer.  
   
"It's just a shirt, it's nothing." Paris hadn't looked at what she was wearing before she put it on, and as she followed Lorelai's eyes, finally realized that maybe she should have looked at what the green shirt's message was. Her eyes widened as she read the words out loud.  
   
"Aye am shampeon uf thee Tori Spell Lang Bea." Surrounded by a pattern consisting of bees and a cheesy trophy reading "#Won", the words stuck out like a sore thumb to her, and she immediately felt embarrassed to have chose it in her frazzled state. "Someone sold this shirt?" She was shocked. "I don't get it."  
   
"Uh, Tori Spelling is stupid?" Lorelai summed up the joke.  
   
"Well I knew that, but...oh, never mind." Paris shook her head, the point of the words getting through to her. "It's a good joke, just a bit 'hammer to the head' getting it across, though."  
   
"But it's a conversation starter, you have to admit that." The two women began to relax, letting any tension fall away slowly. "I would have never expected you to choose that one. When I wore that into Luke's, Taylor said I needed to take it off immediately." She lowered her voice to imitate him badly. "He said 'Lorelai, our school district is among the best for towns with populations below 7,500, you're going to confuse the young people of this town by wearing it.'"  
   
"Take it off?" Paris felt herself warming. "But then you'd be in violation of the decency laws."

Upon hearing Paris's words, Lorelai's mouth opened, and she gasped out. "Oh, that pervert! I knew there was a haughty tone hiding his real purposes in there! Hmmph, I should bring that up at the next town meeting!"  
   
"Somehow I don't think we need to publicize the deviant fantasies of that guy." Paris laughed nervously. "If you don't mind, I'd rather not think about him anymore."  
   
"Sorry. Actually, I wasn't even thinking of the message of the shirt," Lorelai confessed. "I think you look kind of cute in it, actually." She was heartened to watch Paris blush a bit.  
   
"Green really isn't my color though."  
   
"I know, but um...you look nice just wearing that." Lorelai turned her head to look towards the window, trying to keep her eyes from Paris's small form. She slid her hand from Lorelai's foot, releasing it upon seeing her fully calmed and relaxed, not even remembering the injury. She got out of her sitting position on her legs, stretching out across the bed. The two women felt heated up, trying to avert from the flirting, but failing to do so.  
   
"What do you mean, nice?" Paris questioned. "As in, it fits well despite being an extra large shirt on a petite body, or in the other sense of a 'my shirt' kind of compliment?" She was startled to see Lorelai, usually so bold about her sexuality, become so shy about it. Lorelai was questioning herself internally, trying to bring things back to normal, not intending to flirt with Paris.  
   
"As in...as in you just broke up with your boyfriend, and I shouldn't be saying these kinds of things." She averted her gaze as Paris relaxed on the bed, laying lengthwise to her. "I shouldn't be saying you're cute, even though it's my opinion that you are."  
   
"I'm sorry." Paris didn't know what else to say, trying to formulate some excuse to take her mind off the track of wanting Lorelai again.  
   
"You shouldn't be though. Just think of me as the wacky old lady who can't control her libido." Lorelai laughed at herself without mirth. "I can't be doing this."  
   
"What is that?"  
   
"Taking joy in...in Jamie blowing his chance with you," Lorelai admitted. "Thinking about you all week, wondering if our meeting was still on your mind, but I kept thinking that you got your rocks off and it was over, I could go back to thinking normally about you."  
   
"Ms. Gilm--er, dammit! Lorelai, it's OK." She brought her eye contact straight with her. "I know what we did was so unexpected, but it was nice, enjoyable. I couldn't get my mind off it either at all."  
   
"But what about Jamie?"  
   
Paris sighed. "I gave it a shot, it didn't work, and you're right, I have to move on. But that doesn't in any way reduce what we did in that classroom. I know I cheated on him, and that maybe if we had some more control or a working air conditioner, we may not have. But then again, it may have been inevitable."  
   
Lorelai bit her lip, feeling suddenly nervous, as Paris moved closer against her. "What do you mean by that?"  
   
"First of all, who do we usually talk to about our problems in life, about your doubts over buying the Inn, or where I'd be in the fall?" Her voice tightened. "Rory is distracted by Jess, and she tunes us both out lately. I was talking to her about Jamie during pagesetting at the paper, and she hijacked the conversation towards how much she feels for Jess. Meanwhile, you're feeling all stressed out, and she's gone, while your red-haired chef friend is all about starting her family, which I understand. Max is gone, Louise is daydreaming about New Orleans, and who knows where Madeline is? We both doubt ourselves, and somehow, we tethered to each other in that classroom. You helped me out, and somehow, I felt closer to you."

"But that doesn't explain, why me? You have other adults in your life; you have a therapist you can confide in."  
   
"Because, Lorelai, you're there. You understand things. With my therapist, my situation was brought up in a case study example in her second year in college, but you've **actually** experienced some of my crises. You've freaked out about bad grades and dating doubts." Paris lowered her voice, moving her other hand towards Lorelai's cheek. "Somehow, I know there's a trust with you too. Sure, we got off to a bad start with the whole 'tell the entire dining hall about you and Max hooking up' problem, but that was insanity brought about by the parent's divorce. Since then I've been pretty complimentary of you, haven't I?"  
   
"Th--that's true." Lorelai looked down. "You did compliment the Bracebridge Dinner, except for the shirt thing."  
   
"Then I want you to be truthful with me." Paris let herself take in a breath, hoping her next move didn't backfire. "Tell me that last week didn't mean anything to you, or not much. I won't get mad, or hurt because you said so."

"What do you mean?"  
   
"Well, let's see here. If I would've tried to massage you, say about four months before, you would've been freaked out." She pushed closer, sliding her hand up Lorelai's smooth left arm. "I wouldn't be able to do this at all, until we spent a day forced together." She let her voice take a softer tone. "Certainly, your reaction to Jamie dumping me would have been more disconnected, as if you didn't care about me beyond your daughter's friend."  
   
Watching the stunned woman, Paris felt she was cornering her, making it clear that her want for the woman wasn't influenced by either loneliness or just a need to confide in someone. "The sad thing is, I felt closer to you for nine hours than I had with Jamie over the last seven months, and you make me want to confront things, which I did. I lost my drive before we ended up talking, and you brought it back."  
   
Lorelai thought carefully about what Paris was saying, and tried to deliberate that she shouldn't be closer to her. That in her mind, this should not be happening at all.  
   
Or in the deepest part of her mind, that she should be telling Paris to leave. But that was an extreme opinion, hurtful, and she wouldn't dare even consider it in any way.  
   
Staring at the girl, thinking about what she may have done on the sofa, Lorelai knew the blonde was stuck in her mind, no matter what.  
   
After a long pause, Lorelai finally spoke. "I'm flattered, really. And I definitely care about how you're feeling, especially about Jamie. I'm just, frankly, uh, concerned about whether you're, well--you know..." She tightened her voice, trying to neutralize the bite the words might have. "I'm afraid that with me, you're thinking like a teenager."  
   
The word echoed through Paris's mind, sounding almost like an insult. Yet, she filtered it, knowing that Lorelai was offering a perfect out to the situation. That she didn't need to say it as if she was a baby, Paris was heartened by Lorelai laying it out raw. Thinking it through internally for a moment, Paris looked to turn the tables.  
   
Smiling slightly, she bit on the woman's phrasing.  
   
"Are you then, Lorelai?" The words were said softly, without a hint of malice, in the form of a come-on. "With your mindset, I need to know if you think this is right."  
   
The woman next to her blushed, suddenly tightening up at the very insinuation. "I don't know if I can really say I am. It's complicated, the situation. You're hurt so this may not be the right time to act."  
   
"The only thing that's been hurt lately is my pride, and it's being remodeled," she responded confidently. "To tell you the truth..." she began to shift, moving her small body closer to the flannel-clad woman, their legs brushing together. "I was hurt by Jamie's words and his actions, but all week, remembering us making love on that desk, it balmed the pain. It disappeared." Her tone turned serious as she went further. "Remembering your wisdom and comfort, how even though it could have been just sex, but I know both of us took something from that. I felt confident and desirable than I ever have."

"Paris..."Lorelai closed her eyes. "Oh God."  
   
"What did you feel?" She asked.  
   
"Funny," she said simply.  
   
"Can we go beyond that?" She stroked the woman's slender fingers, and her toes, with her body fully stretched out, rubbed against her left ankle.  
   
"I...I'm still shuddering from the feel of your leg against mine," she confessed. "Just thinking about it right now, I'm all wound up. But everything also helped. That was pretty much a day off, and I was on my last nerve with Fran's estate because they won't sell me the Dragonfly outside of auction, Rory, my mother...it was a relaxant to me, even though most of the conversation was one-sided towards you. I needed to hear that I wasn't alone in being pissed off at the world."  
   
"So, you enjoyed it." Paris smiled, as Lorelai nodded.  
   
"It made me forget, to have that time with you. To only fret about a cashbox, not my daughter's future."  
   
"Me too." They stood stuck, staring at each other. "How many times have you relived it so far?"  
   
The brunette blushed deeply, feeling mortified to admit her fingers had done the walking to Paris's moans and thrusts several times since then, either in the bed or within a shower. "I cannot reveal that under my Fifth Amendment right?"  
   
Paris shook her head, revealing a tell she held back since she got to the door. "I know of at least one time."  
   
Lorelai froze up almost immediately. "What do you mean? I haven't been near you since last Wednesday, I--"  
   
"You wanted me when I got to the door, right?" Before Lorelai could do any kind of aversion tactic, she found Paris's left hand drifting up her thigh. "I...I was ready to leave when you said Rory wasn't home, because I heard you otherwise occupied. That's why I almost diverted."  
   
To put it lightly, Lorelai was mortified by the revelation. "Was I really that loud?"  
   
"No, the front window blind towards the other side of the porch away from the neighbors was really that opened, actually." Lorelai's heartbeat picked up even more. "I made out my name through the shielded noise, and I felt myself flare up. But since you were just warming up, I thought it would be fine to interrupt, of little consequence to you, unlike if I caught you in a full stroke."  
   
"So...so you watched me...for a bit?" Lorelai cursed herself out. "I will make sure to have that shade fixed next time!"  
   
Paris pushed her hand up until she met the hem of the flannel shirt. "I apologize for stopping you, because in the darkest part of my mind, I wanted to watch, be a voyeur. But my rule is, I don't violate privacy, so I stopped you."  
   
"What did it do to you?" Lorelai asked, her voice becoming a whisper.  
   
"I was still crying and depressed, but I bit down on my lip, and my legs just gave out. I mean, God..." The girl's nails raked within the inner thigh. "Playing with yourself over the shirt, stroking, moaning my name. Talk about giving me a confidence boost."  
   
"And a pair of wet panties?" Lorelai suggested, laughing.  
   
"Something I know we're sharing." Paris blushed. "Trust me, if I wouldn't have seen that, I would have felt very uncomfortable coming in tonight."  
   
"Why's that?"  
   
Paris brought her mouth close to Lorelai. "Because I thought you were regretting me."  
   
"I wasn't."  
   
"I know. But I manifest regret internally." The fingers moved ever so close to Lorelai's core. She seized up, thinking of any way to turn off the warming want building within her. "I don't know what to think about the situation. One moment I'm enjoying that we were together, but the next I go back to it and think about what may have happened if it backfired. If I would have taken that backing up against the blackboard as something aggressive, or something I did would be taken as something you didn't enjoy."  
   
"Then don't think about it," Lorelai said, softly. "I had them too, but we can't change the past. I enjoyed it, and I know you did." Paris nodded. "I don't regret things; I learn from them."

The courage was building up within Paris. Looking at the woman next to her, the dim light of the lamp highlighting the sheen of her cheeks, along with the glow within her eyes. She felt so wanted, but tried to hold it back. _This isn't the time, really it isn't_. She tried to rationalize to herself that looking for comfort in the small town mother was the last thing she should do, and had to shield herself from the burgeoning emotions she was feeling.  
   
She began to avert a bit. "But you were just feeling under stress from everything, that's why we did what we did, right? The tension was getting to you, and also to me, so we just..."  
   
As she attempted to voice her theory, Paris was startled to find the other woman brushing her leg against hers, not lifting it up to keep the ankle from flaring up, but still pushing against her. Distracted, she then had another delayed reaction to another sudden touch, as the woman's now purple-polished nails scraped above her shirt, above the side of her waist. Paris softly gasped from the contact, her thoughts interrupted from the woman. Lorelai brought her hands up, turning herself to face the girl, and her left hand trailed up along her side until she reached Paris's delicate neck, her fingers grazing the mole on her left side that always drew the eye naturally. The erogenous spot brought out an unexpected moan from Paris, especially from seeing Lorelai be this way with her. She then caressed along Paris's jaw line, her eyes fully focused on her.  
   
Lorelai made Paris see how hollow her statement was. "What tension? If I remember, the entire day ended up how it did because we found each other so alluring, not just from tension." She licked her lips inside, finding herself resisting not asking to resist the advances. "What are you thinking right now?"  
   
Paris lowered her gaze. "Trust me, you really don't want to know."  
   
Smiling, Lorelai lowered her tone, pushing the flirting within it even further. She knew this was no time to be joking at all, about either her love life or the exes they shared. This was about them. "And why not?" she teased.  
   
"Because," Paris said wearily, "I'm...nervous about saying it."  
   
"So I make you nervous?" Lorelai's other hand shifted across the girl's clothed belly.  
   
"Oh, of course," Paris responded, distracted. "But do you really want to know?"

Lorelai, feeling confronted, wanted to be truthful as to why she ended up tripping over her ankle. She took in a deep breath, hoping she wasn't playing her hand too early.  
   
"What if I already do?" Lorelai asked confidently, her voice firm.  
   
"You don't." Paris was confident of it.  
   
Another move to Lorelai, and this time, she said it with her actions along with her words, dipping a couple of fingers near Paris's navel. "What if I did?"  
   
Paris seized up at the close intimate touch. "You...don't!"  
   
She found the hand wandering from along the trail to her intimacy, and then up towards her breasts, which were doing the thing Lorelai hated the most about borrowing shirts, as they'd be stretched out by the wearer.  
   
Except in this case. Without a bra on, Paris was showing off, and the heat the women were sharing, along with the dissipating effects of her nap, were getting Paris hot and hard. The outline of each nipple was obvious, and as Lorelai's hand pushed closer towards her breasts, they both felt themselves opening up.  
   
"I do. And I'm very open to whatever you might want," Lorelai suggested, her voice filled with lust. "You can't hide from me; you're an open book, Paris."

The girl stared at Lorelai, trying to see if she was truthful. She was concerned now about what Lorelai held close. _What is she going on about?_ She thought to herself, hoping it wasn't one of her psychoses coming into the limelight at the wrong time.

"I know I shouldn't be doing this," Paris communicated, her voice wavering. "I should not feel this way for you."  
   
Lorelai felt the same way. "You and me both. I don't know what I'm really doing."  
   
"You're sure?" Paris felt as if she was the most inexperienced girl ever. "What you're doing..." Her heart beat faster as those fingers trailed up. "Oh God, your nails."  
   
"Ticklish?" Paris nodded furiously, taking in a deep breath. Her face was flushed, eyes slitted as she took in what Lorelai was doing to her. "So you do have nerve endings. From how Rory describes you, it's almost like you're cold and inhuman."  
   
Paris took Lorelai's other hand into hers at that comment, not letting it get to her. _Rory's not here_ , she thought internally, blocking her classmate out of everything going on. _She shouldn't be judging us, or you._ Wrapping her fingers around her counterpart's hand, Lorelai felt herself still in a cool shock as Paris guided it towards her left breast. To anyone else, it might be immediately construed as sexual, but there was a connection between the women that was building even deeper within the moment. Paris placed her hand atop Lorelai's as she set it where she intended to.  
   
She spoke softly, the usual bitterness completely gone from her now warm and seductive voice. "What is this then?"  
   
"That...that's your heart," Lorelai stated numbly, the constant rhythm of Paris's beat thumping against her palm. She attempted to brush off the effect of the intimate touch with sarcasm, but she came off much softer than expected. "I do know my basic human anatomy."  
   
Letting the feel of Lorelai's fingertips surround her, Paris found her own voice disappearing. "I guess I am human then, contrary to popular belief." The two of them moved ever closer, inches separating their lips. Smirking, Paris rubbed her thumb against the pulse point in Lorelai's wrist. "Your pulse is steadier than expected."  
   
"And here you go, teasing me about my coffee addiction." The other woman shook her head, feeling so warmed by the slow teasing. "So I have six cups a day, that's pretty normal, right?" A pause of silence. "Right?"

"Hey, far be it for me to judge your caffeine intake, I can't even drink it the way you do." Paris then explained she had to have it buffeted by soy milk and sweeteners because straight black didn't agree with her stomach.

"I'm sorry. Darn your genes." Lorelai stared her down, scanning her eyes down towards Paris's crossed and bare legs, a definite rarity for a girl she assumed stayed clothed as much as possible. She tried not to show Paris was throwing her off the caring yet detached track she usually had with her daughter's other friends and classmates. Paris brought her hand down to her lap, circling her palm with her index finger.

Paris stared Lorelai over, trying to keep herself from being distracted with a bit of exposed skin through the shirt between the 35 year old woman's breasts, something about as asexual a stare as possible in that erogenous zone. Still, it was killing her to think of Lorelai nude. _Especially since I know she probably has no bra on_ , she thought to herself. She closed her eyes again, trying to distract herself from the building thoughts and tension.  
   
At that point, Lorelai's rational side reminded her exactly what she was doing in definitive terms. _What the hell are you thinking here? Sex got you into trouble many times, and here it is, doing the same thing. Don't let her attach to you! She's not exactly the kind of woman you'd take home to Mother...you wouldn't want to take anyone to her in the first place! She's latching on to you as a voice of reason, and what happens when she comes to her senses? Have you even considered that? You can't give her this new stress on top of Jamie and school, she needs time to herself, to cope, to heal_.  
   
Paling from that very thought, Lorelai realized she was getting close...too close, to be a calming influence in Paris's life. The way she looked, wearing her shirt, the green contrasting perfectly with the young woman's olive skin, and the stare of those warm brown eyes upon her. Going back to last week, at the moment they crossed that line in the classroom, Lorelai knew she went too far.  
   
But she thought about her past relationships, how she got off on the illicit. _I'm a thrillseeker_ , she hypothesized, thinking about how much the parents tried to dissuade her from Christopher, and that with Max, being with someone who taught her daughter gave her such a naughty buzz.  
   
_I can't do that with her though. What am I thinking, taking advantage of her at a time where she's so uncertain. I'm not for her, I shouldn't be encouraging this.  
_    
Lorelai tried to drown out all the opposing voices in her mind, to try to cool down the situation. It was to no avail though, as watching the girl kept her hot, and wanting of her further touch. She still felt the girl's heartbeat within her hand, a minute after breaking contact with her chest.  
   
Suddenly, she felt a need to do something, anything to take her mind off what she wanted from Paris. She thought she had a perfect opportunity to slip away with Par's eyes shut. _I can do this_ , she thought, as she began to slide the held hand out from Paris's loose grip on her wrist. She slid over towards the end of the bed to get out of it and head downstairs.  
   
"So..." Paris opened her eyes again, smiling. "What exactly do you know?"  
   
Lorelai paused, confused. "Know?"  
   
"Yes, know." Lorelai felt Paris overpowering her again. "You were saying I was an open book." Paris shifted her hands from Lorelai's wrist and the bed, to begin to envelope her. "So, what kind of book?"  
   
"I can't say," Lorelai admitted shyly. "You'll hate me."  
   
"No I won't."  
   
Lorelai sighed heavily. "It's really nothing; I promise you."  
   
"Which means it is." Paris was matter-of-fact. Laying down lengthwise to Lorelai, she pushed the woman back down onto the mattress. "I know you don't usually hold back what you have to say."  
   
No matter what, Lorelai couldn't find a hole to dive through, to avoid the line of questioning she was being barraged with. Trying to figure out a way out if it, she tried an aversion technique.  
   
"How about...if we talk about it downstairs?" Her tone was final, firm, and she thought Paris would get the hint. Beginning to calm, she thought she was off the hook.  
   
She wasn't counting on Paris to get on her game. The silence during that time built up her reserve and want to go further, and as she sensed Lorelai's unease about the situation, she adjusted and adapted to what she felt was Lorelai fleeing from the entire idea that they were together, and there was chemistry between them. Planning perfectly, Paris sensed what she was probably going to do, and adjusted.  
   
Moving to straddle Lorelai suddenly, Paris laid the foundation.  
   
"About what, exactly?" Smiling, she pushed her hand up towards Lorelai's right side. "We're perfectly relaxed right here." Scanning the woman with purpose, her mouth watered at putting the middle Lorelai in her place.  
   
"Things, of course." Lorelai began to lose her thoughts, watching Paris span across her, setting a trap. Nervously, she tittered. "Non-Jamie things."  
   
The blonde nodded. "Good, I'm glad you don't want to talk about him either." Her other hand moved up the outside of Lorelai's thigh. "Frankly, I'll be glad to finally let thoughts of Chilton go after next week." Inching up slowly, she dragged her thin nails along the brunette's thick, smooth skin. "It's been a nice school, but I'm ready to move on, wherever that might be." She watched the woman shallow her breathing, becoming overwhelmed by her desire. She brought her eyes down, just in time for each hand to reach the hem of the flannel shirt.  
   
Still, Lorelai lamely tried to distract. "Wouldn't you be more comfortable on the couch? I mean, this can't be."  
   
"Oh, I'm fine, but you still seem tense." Breaking her hands away for a moment, Paris brought them to Lorelai's side. "Why would that be? We cleared the air on everything, I thought."  
   
"We did..." Lorelai continued to fight the words from coming out. "It's clear as can be, like Crystal Pepsi."

Letting herself smirk, Paris found the woman right where she wanted her. "So why, when I look into your eyes, I feel like there's something there? Something you're hiding, because you're mortified about? It's nothing big, but yet..." Paris let her left hand run through Lorelai's smoothed out hair, sinking the fingertips scalp-deep. "That you're trying to protect me, as if I'm Rory and shouldn't know about it."

A sensory overload beginning, Lorelai again tried to misdirect. "How do you know if I'm hiding something?"  
   
"Give it up and fold, Ms. Gilmore." She brought her mouth closer to the hotelier's. "Your hand is showing, and you have a bad deal."  
   
"Par--" All the denial Lorelai buried herself in, it suddenly came crashing down, as after that moment, Paris touched her lips to Lorelai's, and left a simple, soft and quick kiss upon them, letting her tongue flitter softly upon the lips as she pulled away.  
   
Looking at the woman below her warmly, Paris pulled back her hair, which was falling onto her face. Lorelai's stomach spun, and tingles shot through her spine, and all over. She didn't want to reveal, afraid. Never had such a simple kiss stunned her so quickly.  
   
She heaved out a deep breath, trying to gather herself together. "Honest, I didn't mean to linger, I--"  
   
Paris saw the clouds disappear from her view, and knew immediately what had happened. Thinking about it for less than a second, she knew if it was Jamie, the next action she would take would be a blow to his genitals.  
   
Instead, she brought her fingers across Lorelai's lips, and smiled. "I slept-talked a fantasy about you, didn't I?"  
   
Lorelai nodded slowly, hoping not to ire her anger. "I'm sorry...I was trying to leave, and I, I tripped over my clothes."  
   
The blonde slid her other hand down Lorelai's side, her face heated from the confession of the woman. "No need to apologize at all. It's my psyche, and obviously it's showing you what I truly want."  
   
"You should be mad though, not happy." Lorelai felt mortified. "I watched you having a sex dream and was enjoying it!"  
   
"So? I watched you feeling yourself up and felt the same way. We're even." She could feel Lorelai's resistance begin to melt away.  
   
"No, I violated your privacy and you watched me behave like I was in a Cinemax film!" The words were lightly said, the woman trying to make sense of what she was about to do. "Paris, this...this..."  
   
In her mind, she had the suffix to the sentence planned out; _this should have never happened_. Normally, when she got too close to someone, she'd cut it off to reduce the damage of her decision in Rory's mind view. Her doubts quashed her engagement with Max, and she didn't take the initiative with Alex to see if he was still interested in her.  
   
_But, why are you questioning this?_ Her conscience attempted to clear the waters. _Do you have to numb your own happiness? What happened to that woman who went after what she wanted sexually? She seems to have moved on to try to get the Dragonfly, but I can tell you that every bit of you still has that classroom in your mind, every gasp, touch, groan, the feeling of that hand between your legs. So she's young, so what? Better you help her figure out what she wants in life rather than some crackpot billing $300 an hour. Or God forbid, her mother!_

 _Oh, and you like how she makes you feel. You're still wet, right?  
   
_ She closed her eyes, her body overheated, looking up towards Paris. The other woman, looking down with her, unquestionably decided on her own that she felt good with Lorelai, and most of all, appreciated for who she was. _I don't have to be different with her_ , she thought, her mouth watering at a peek between flannel buttons. _She knows me as intense, and she is to me too. Whatever the age difference might do to make us odd, everything else makes up for it.  
   
_ Brown eyes meeting blue, Paris dragged her hand back up Lorelai's side, but closer towards her breasts than towards the back. An open invitation to make it known she wanted to go forward with the innkeeper.

Lorelai felt rational thought melt away with the touch, another set of words falling from her mouth to complete the hanging sentence. Her voice barely discernable, her eyes filled with desire, the caution between the two was gone.  
   
"...This shouldn't be a one time thing."  
   
With those words, Lorelai felt herself resigned to her burgeoning emotions for one Paris Gellar. Internally, a tight knot of unease twisting her stomach seemed to unravel as Paris looked her over, trying to judge her words as true and from the heart. She had never felt so caught between her emotions and how she was supposed to behave.  
   
For now though, she'd put that debate aside, to focus on the only thing that mattered.  
   
She brought up her hands to grasp at Paris's arms, and pulled her close to her. Paris reacted immediately, wanting to stretch the tension further, and stunned at her confession.  
   
"Lorelai, if you don't want to--"  
   
She was cut off by a hard and searing kiss as the brunette brought her flush against her body on the mattress. Not a soft exploring kiss, but one to bring the girl to her knees. Nibbling at her lips, nipping her tongue, Lorelai made work of exploring a girl she once described to Sookie in an after-work conversation at a local bar as 'that plaid-skirted pain in the ass'. The woman's hands nested within her hair as the sexual tension of eleven days apart unraveled from the woman. She felt so hot, so daring.  
   
_Definitely naughty,_ internalizing the thought in her now-emptying mind. The petite academic weighing her down was giving Lorelai a push she hadn't felt in years to let herself go, experiment and play. For tonight, she would let Paris do that, knowing the girl probably had so many sexually feelings pent up in her, the kinds not even breached within that half-hour in the classroom.  
   
Lorelai's kissing quickly moved down towards her neck, Paris keeping her eyes closed, letting the emotions flood her. The dream of earlier still within her mind, of coming over to have her gown fitted further from the factory, and then finding a flirtatious Chilton mother riling her up. She had been prepared for more since the moment she woke up. The small-town woman's teeth scraped across the tender flesh of her neck as she peppered the tanned flesh with pecks.  
   
"I want to," Lorelai responded breathlessly, her hands breaching the hem of her own shirt on Paris's body so she could have skin-to-skin contact. She went back to kissing, not concentrating as Paris began to return the kissing, forcing her way back up to Lorelai's mouth. The sleeping article began to ride up as Paris rocked back and forth, while Lorelai pushed it up purposefully along the small area of thigh it was actually covering.

They said nothing, enjoying the feel of kissing free of the stress of time and interruptions. Paris could sense the chocolate eaten by the older woman as a snack, the taste of her mouth delicious and sweet, and it gave her more of an illicit thrill since chocolate was usually denied to her on the order of her mother to keep her skin clear. Mixed with a thin film of melon lip gloss, she was falling into a chasm she didn't want to crawl out from. Lorelai welcomed the slow kissing, just enjoying being able to spend time wandering rather than having to prepare for some guy to get all grabby and demanding to let him into her. _I have to butter her up_ , she thought, noticing how forceful Paris was above her. _I want her at her best_. She couldn't believe her thoughts were this far out, but she couldn't find any reason to stop them.  
   
Keeping her hands on Paris's sides she attempted to stay neutral, but was having a hard time doing much beyond that, as she slowly released from her mouth after an agonizing two minutes, moving down towards the woman's curved chin. Paris examined Lorelai closely, the innkeeper so beautiful in the dim light. Down her chin, along the curve down towards her neck. She found no resistance from Lorelai and felt encouraged further on.  
   
"Do you...enjoy this?" she questioned, catching her breath between kisses. She felt the woman nod her head mutely. "Tell me how you feel."  
   
"Really good," Lorelai responded, as if a frog was in her throat. "I enjoy this."  
   
"How much?" Paris trailed towards the hollow of Lorelai's throat.  
   
Lorelai felt her vocal cords tighten. "You doing this, I've never dreamed." Tightly, her eyes shut as her body stilled, the blonde lining soft flecks along the hollow of her throat. "Never." She shuddered in place, the softness so alien to her after years and years of rough stubble within her sexual dealings.  
   
"You smell nice..." Paris took in a breath as she continued. "Natural." Smiling, she let her hand slide down, towards the side of Lorelai's flannel shirt in the middle, and then hooked a finger at a button opening. "Better than my dream."  
   
"Sounded pretty good to me," Lorelai purred, the small touch against her sternum giving her a cold chill.  
   
"It...was...very...encompassing...of my emotions." She opened the top button of the flannel and kissed the woman along the newly-exposed skin. Smiling, she felt Lorelai shift her legs, a sure sign that she was pushing the right trigger points. Paris was methodical in undressing the woman, voicing her desire for the woman when she needed to, but otherwise concentrating on the task. The emotions in her mind, earlier clouded by doubts were concentrated on being able to be passionate, something that had been sorely lacking with Jamie.  
   
Lorelai shifted up so her back rested against the headboard, kissing Paris's forehead with the same fervor. Undressing each other slowly, Paris let herself take in Lorelai in small bits, the soft feel of her skin contrasting with the flannel. Closing her eyes the elder Gilmore let her hands caress softly as she pushed her own shirt up slowly. The dim light of the room amplified the intimacy, the only thing shielding the women the thin sheet of the bed as the other blankets were pushed aside.  
   
Paris felt safe and comforted as the woman brought the shirt up, a different feeling from the awkwardness of Jamie taking her in naked for the first time. "I'm going to touch all over," Lorelai promised to her. The promise was kept, as hands went over supple flesh, and Lorelai teased her with words and touches, taking her time. Fingernails scraped across Paris's stomach, finding an erogenous zone which resulted in a deep throaty call of Lorelai's name out loud. Lorelai was overwhelmed by how welcoming Paris was of slow touches, completely different from the classroom setting. Taking her time, she was open and willing to explore everything possible between them.  
   
Slowly, they took their time, kissing and caressing. Paris's small fingers eased each button out slowly as she kissed down the center of Lorelai's body. Reaching the button which was below her bra line, she brought her gaze up to the woman, who nodded the permission.  She didn't push aside each side of the shirt immediately however, letting her other hand circle along the flesh of the innkeeper's thigh as she built the mystery in her own mind of how the woman looked outside of the sweaty confines of a Chilton classroom.

"You are wearing underwear, right?" She asked, moving towards the last three buttons. The answer to that question was...interesting.  
   
"You'll just have to see." Lorelai felt a bit odd, and Paris could sense it in her voice. _Not like she's feeling weird though_ , she surmised, _but that I might have caught her when she wasn't expecting me._ She didn't have much time to ponder further though as Lorelai took the green shirt off Paris the rest of the way to her neck and out of the arms. She worked it off the rest of the way, and tossed it behind her where it went to the front of the bed. Static built up as she took it off in her hair, and as she came back down, Lorelai could help but catch her breath.  
   
She was shocked at how sensual Paris looked with bed hair, her brown eyes still a bit sleepy. She couldn't help but stare at how a couple hours in bed had taken that formal hair into something else that made her heart swell. Like a hidden treasure, she was beginning to see the side of the youngblooded woman few if any had ever seen.  
   
Straddling above her, Paris felt hot from Lorelai's gaze. Jamie had never given her those eyes, and with her hair falling down against her breasts she was in astonishment that the heavy breathing from the woman beneath her wasn't coming from staring at her exposed bust at all. She pushed herself back down, letting her hands make quick work out of the last of the buttons on the flannel shirt. She was hungry to please the woman, to know that someone enjoyed her for more than a number on a test. She played more, letting her hand dip across and circle Lorelai's navel.  
   
"Ohhh, mmmm..." Obviously she was hitting a spot. Down another button, an anticipation building at the one layer obscuring her from seeing the hotelier in all of her glory.  
   
"Are you scared, Lor?" The woman shook her head. "How off-guard did I catch you, actually?" Her voice deep, she pinched the last button between her fingers and undid it, pushing the two halves of the shirt off lightly. The puzzled look on the woman as Paris brought her gaze to her almost told the whole story, but as Lorelai scooted up to work the shirt up, she blushed.  
   
When Paris looked down, she figured out why. Lorelai finally spoke about the shy subject.  
   
"I had no idea you were coming, seriously. If I had, well...I might have chosen better." She had expected the girl to laugh at her choice or suddenly realize that they had different senses of humor that were incompatible.  
   
She was shocked instead to find Paris's fingers gliding along the gold waistband of her panties, with a sensual smirk as she took in the sight.  
   
"Well, I can't say I'm surprised. You are sort of a dead ringer for Lynda Carter." Laughing softly, she began to unbutton the cuffs on Lorelai's shirt to fully divest themselves of anything beyond panties. "And you are an amazing woman..." Laying a soft kiss upon the woman's lips, she completed her tease. "A wonder woman, as it were."

Paris did something that hadn't been done in twenty years. Lorelai, usually the silly one during an encounter, felt serious. Her shallow breathing deepened as Paris slid the shirt off from her, and she couldn't muster much speech.  
   
"Par, you...don't say those kinds of things. I'm just who I am." She wasn't one to boast, but Paris attempted to set her straight as she continued to flirt with her.  
   
"But you are a wonder. Most would have given up and been content to be what others wanted them to be. Not you." Letting the shirt fall, she laid Lorelai back down, careful not to weigh too much of her frame on the strained ankle. "I may have started thinking of you like everyone else, but in two years I can't do that anymore. You're amazingly kind and gentle, strong. You don't bullshit anybody and you call Rory on her stupidity when she's about to do something idiotic. You have smart business sense, you contribute to the community, and after so many others wouldn't have given a fuck, you got an MBA to prepare for your own inn." She circled her fingertips around a hard nipple as she went on. "You speak up when you can at school meetings, unlike every other parent who either shuts up or puts their kids first. I don't know what draws me to you, but I can't deny that there's this amazing pull that brings me towards you as sympathetic."  
   
She looked up at the woman, familiarizing herself with the skin-to-skin contact she had never enjoyed with Jamie. "I'll be honest. When you told me to 'can the emotional bullshit' earlier, I wanted to slap you for what you said, because no one says that to me but my mother. But she never has, because I don't show emotion, period. If I cry, I'm weak and vulnerable. But when I was talking with you, I felt validated." Her hands slid up to palm at the sides of Lorelai's breasts. "I knew Rory would tell me to give him a third chance and get over myself. I don't know why, but I wanted what I felt numbed down, not to be told it was OK to cry."

Lorelai felt so guilty for her outburst. "I'm sorry if I laid into you too roughly. You didn't deserve it."  
   
"I did, though." Her fingers began to circle and move inward. "I was afraid to talk to you because of how you feel about Jamie. You know that he's not good enough for me, and if I would have held that back and Rory was here, I may have gone back to him. Probably regretted it right away. I'm a 'good girl'," she stated sarcastically. "If Rory or Louise told me I was stupid to dump him, I might have given him that new chance. When I directed my driver to come into the Hollow, it was to talk to Rory, not you. I was scared because of everything I felt, and shared with you in that classroom. I mean, you have to remember, I didn't care about Jamie at all before he wooed me. He was the one to go after me, and I didn't care at all."  
   
"But because he came all the way up to Hartford, you gave him that attention, and you grew to love him." Lorelai thought she understood Paris clearly. But Paris shook her head.  
   
"No, I didn't. I felt neither heads nor tails about how things would work out, I just went along with it like it was all expected of me. I never said 'I love you' to him like I meant it. My heart didn't feel a thing, he didn't excite me. I've spent so many hours since that afternoon thinking about this, whether I wanted him in my future. Being with him, with Jamie." Her voice lowered to a whisper as she let herself open up to the woman beneath her. "I never felt like I was with him, heart and soul. The night of the rejection, I called him on the phone, and he didn't understand, at all. My dream was Harvard and here I'm crying into the handset, like my heart was actually broken, arteries bursting, ventricles in shambles, and all he said was 'I'm sorry.' I...That's why I couldn't go back to school for a week. Rory didn't visit except to drop off homework, Jamie didn't call. The two most important people in my life couldn't spare more than fifteen minutes to realize that I had lost my way. I had a boy I didn't love, a school that didn't want me, and a best friend who doesn't give a fuck about me." Tears slowly streaming down her face, Paris opened up to the woman. "I don't mean to disparage your daughter at all, Lor."  
   
"It's alright," she said, trying to keep herself from numbing the blonde's pain. Paris bit down on her lip, suddenly unsure.  
   
"Umm, I hope you don't mind if I call you by that name, Ms. Gilmore." A beat of hesitation. "If someone else intimate with you called you that, I don't want to ruin how you associate it."  
   
"Ruin?" Lorelai sighed. " I don't care at all. Actually..." She brought the confused girl into another slow kiss, showing how much she appreciated her beautiful speech. Every word of it had impressed her, made her feel appreciated by the girl. Everyone else seemed to take her for granted in town, but it was nice to have positive reinforcement. Breaking apart, her hands roamed the soft, supple skin of her younger love. "I think the way you say it is wonderful. It's less of an aside, a shortcut like other guys who said it. I think the way you speak is very cute." She smiled. "You've got that Katherine Hepburn voice going on, and I loved her as an actress. But from now on I hear her, I immediately think of you."

"Lor..." Blushing, Paris felt silly, and didn't realize she said the name again, until the woman moaned.  
   
"See, you say it that way, I'm gone." Getting back to the original point of the conversation, she touched upon Rory. "Are you OK though? If you really wanted to talk to Rory, I'm sorry if she wasn't here."

"I wanted to talk to her tonight," Paris said, her voice beginning to take on a husky tone. "But I think I find you and this situation a little more...attractive." Surprising the woman with her strength, she cupped Lorelai's right breast, her thumb brushing up against the hardened nipple, as she let her mouth settle against the tender neck of the older woman, taken completely by surprise. She always thought Paris was aggressive, but this was completely baffling to her.  
   
"Listen, Paris...you don't have to do this..." Her eyes closed as Paris laid soft trailing kisses down her sternum. The faded perfume she wore flooded Paris's senses, giving her a content sense that what she was doing was right, and drew her in. Slow kisses and caresses, taking in the softness of the woman's hipbone, her hands raking the woman's smooth stomach, hidden behind the fabric of the dress the first time. Her small hands sent tremors through the woman that were unlike she ever felt. She forgot for a moment all the awkward pawing and roughness of the touching she had with men. It melted away, along with her wariness of pushing things further.  
   
"Oh God...God...Par..." She closed her eyes, Paris kissing down her middle. Little fluttery touches, her head backing up against the headboard as she sat upright while Paris's hands brushed against the undersides of her breasts. She felt sensitized, overheated. All rational thought melting away from her as those same hands made circles lower and lower. Her nose, softly scraping across her skin, down back towards her navel....  
   
"Saturday mornings most often contain my most vivid dreams," Paris noted between kisses. "No need to rush before an alarm. I thought of myself doing this to you, for instance." Her left hand then moved towards the waistband of Lorelai's panties, a finger scraping within the waistband, the thumb brushing along the woman's mons. "Just caressing, being soft, without any kind of care."  
   
"Are you saying..." Lorelai thought for a moment. "Even before you were up today?"  
   
"Yes, I was." Paris teased her tongue slowly along the panty line, her nose dipping within the indentation. "I had a long society dinner last night I had to attend with Mother, compulsory attendance because I had to get a scholarship which should be just enough to buy a graphing calculator. I fell asleep in my slip, woke up this morning all worn out. But I thought about you there." She laid more kisses down the line, salivating as she pushed down the material blocking her view. "Thought of us, meeting, being secretive. It was at the grand mansion of the Kurtzbergs, beautiful hallway, boring atmosphere." Her teeth scraped the waistband. "You made your way to me slowly, moving away from your daughter, from Emily. You hated being there too, it being Friday night and part of your mother paying for school and all."  
   
Having Lorelai move down on the bed, Paris positioned herself so the foot of the bed was parallel with her feet. "Then you see me. And I'm not my usual boring self. Last night I was regal, and I wore a silk cocktail dress that showed off the girls in full force. No thanks to Jamie having an important foosball final four to play back in Jersey, it didn't seem to have a use, until I came across you in the room. I smiled your way, feeling bold enough to toss my hair, a signal of what I wanted." She began to roll the lingerie off slowly, kissing the woman in tortuous circles. "We were playing it subtle, slow. Mingling around, talking to people here and there as we circled the room, moving in close with each person. My mouth waters, anticipating..." Paris blew out a slow breath up Lorelai's stomach. "I see you, you see me. The room seems a dark fog as I move in closer...closer."  
   
"Uhhhhh..." Lorelai squirmed, overwhelmed by the desire in Paris's voice.  
   
"Still ten feet in front of us, and Ava is in our way, rambling on about the electronic sign to be donated by the class. Yes, I have the funds ready to send to Daktronics. Yes, I want it in color and to be set in with the campus décor. No, we don't need it as big as a flagpole at a Perkin's and visible from 93, just put it in front of the school and move on. Watching you in a blue dress that brings out your clear blue eyes, showing yourself off. You lure me in."

She continued to go into further detail, about how she imagined Lorelai trying to show that she wasn't going to fall for Paris's advances, despite close whispers and sneaked touches giving her overwhelming images of the passion building between them. She was amazed at the detail, how Paris tells the story of her daydream. They moved in close, and Paris dropped the bait to meet her in a pantry off the main hall on the first floor.  
   
The panties came off in a roll, the red/white/blue pattern such a lovely surprise to the teenager. Exposing the woman's glistening mons, she furthered the vivid image.  
   
"Last night I actually knew that tonight would be the last time I would see Jamie, and thinking about you, wishing you were in that situation, I let myself fall into the fantasy." Her nose moved closer to the dampened slit, the raw scent of the hotelier driving her on. "I'm wanting of you, all week long. I couldn't go past that one classroom in the halls and not be reminded that on that desk you broke through my defenses, giving me the words for comfort, the need to have someone there for me to talk to, that frenzied yet beautiful intimacy." The tip of her nose scraped across the sensitized dark curls patterned into a small triangle, and Lorelai gritted her teeth, holding back an obscenity.  
   
"I thought of us in that small room, clothes askew, hair undone, nips and hickeys patterned like footsteps all over ourselves. The naughty talk from you, Lor, pushing my worries away."  
   
Paris then went to the trigger point. "Were you thinking of me all week, Ms. Gilmore? In the middle of all that paperwork, in that temporary storefront where you have to do Inn business, a small room for your office." She blew more air down the woman's exposed cleft. "In your bed, too. You want me, don't you?"  
   
She struggled for speech, shrieking between her words. "What...about...Jamie?"  
   
"I gave him his second chance," she clarified sweetly, and then lowered her voice. "He failed to take advantage, which is a weakness. I don't often respond this passionately to someone who I desire sexually."  
   
"How do...you know that?" Lorelai's words were no longer said fast, but in short gasps as Paris teased her opening with her fingers.  
   
"Because, when Tristan kissed me, I didn't feel much. I felt just enough for Jamie, but when it came time to get to brass tacks, I was sorely disappointed. This has been building for months, watching you, having dreams of you. To have you respond the way you did, I'm surprised. Actually, more like baffled. Never would I thought I would be attractive to you."  
   
"Well, you are," Lorelai responded. "All that skin, those womanly curves, your soulful eyes. I know we shouldn't be doing this."  
   
"Me too." Something the two women agreed on. Lorelai stared down at Paris's head, so sensitive. "But it's just too damned tempting not to do."  
   
"You want me then?" Lorelai questioned one more time.  
   
Paris quickly nodded, looking up at the nervous woman. "How could I not want you?" Circling her fingers around her clitoris, she wound Lorelai up for what was about to happen. Deep within her the temptation built to tease herself with her own fingers, but she held off for her own sanity. "I'm just glad I have you in a place where your wit is deadened by my tongue." She smirked as she moved herself closer, triggering Lorelai right where she wanted her.  
   
"What, just because you think you're going down on me means I can't...be...oooohhh fucccck!!" Lorelai threw her head back, her vocal momentum thwarted when Paris pushed in as her tongue circled the stiff flesh. Starting slow Paris balanced out what she wanted to do with Lorelai with that of another thought.  
   
_We're gonna take it nice and slow, Lor_ , she thought sliently. _Give you time to enjoy it._ Making small circles with her strong tongue, Paris felt the woman melting against her, panting, growling her name. _I'm not some guy who wants to relieve their hardness, just someone who enjoys you, like this. Off-guard, beautiful, able to be yourself, not how you are to buffer your pain_. Her tongue patterned a wide ellipse up through her left lip, down the right, alternating clock circles with each sweep of her tongue. She tuned herself to the mother's cries, gauging how slow the woman wanted it.  
   
"Oooh...ohh, yeah. Yeah, like that, come on..." Lorelai's hand kneaded her own breasts, twisting the nipples and caressing the pale flesh. She felt herself slowly building back up to where she was before answering the door, the wanderings on the couch.  
   
"You're so wet," Paris said. "Come on, push yourself in...and...out....in...and...out."  
   
"Par...aaaahhhhh..." Hissing as fingers slightly twisted her nipple. "Oh my God...God..." Paris picked up her strokes, going faster while Lorelai used her right hand as a guide to keep her in line. "Yeeessss...so good...yeah." She kept her eyes closed, reveling in the unique touch of her counterpart. More circles and ovals, Paris brought herself closer to push her tongue against Lorelai's clit as much as she could. She pushed hair out of her way, losing herself in the moment.  
   
"You...taste...so good." Paris felt herself dampening with each thrust in and out, her mind running in a million directions. Lorelai pushed her back tight against the headboard as she opened wider for the girl.

Paris as she promised herself went slow, dipping her tongue in, enjoying the tightness she felt within her body. Getting wound up, wanting, remembering her dream of the morning where they were in the kitchen. The raw scent of Lorelai guided her on, the groans and passion from the woman adding so much to the situation.  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
"Fuck me...oh, fuck me, Par...God!" Lorelai felt herself quickly losing control of her swelling emotions. Her entire body was dampened, sweat dripping from her brow. Paris circled slowly, deeply, twisting her tongue in various directions to guide her clit in directions she never thought possible. Lorelai became so turned on she dipped her left hand down, tentatively pushing two fingers in for extra stimulation. It was something she always wanted to do, have someone below while she furthered the orgasm, but male pride had always made her fingers come to a shrieking halt.  
   
Not Paris, for she encouraged it further. "Wanna see them only to your knuckle," she begged. "Get them in, I wanna make you come. Come on, Lor, push 'em in, give me some help." The combination of the two stimuli built Lorelai into a bliss, but one she wanted Paris to enjoy with her.  
   
She clenched her leg against Paris, her hand moving toward her ass and forcing the dark red panties down just enough. "Help yourself. You're so damp...I know it. I saw you were going to fuck yourself...in your dream." Her voice was disconnected pants and rough demands. "Fucking me in a pantry...letting your hands wander...I wanna make sure you're happy too, Par..." She slid her shaky finger along Paris's slit from the outside of her slik lingerie, wet with her arousal. "Fuck me, fuck yourself too."  
   
"I...want you to enjoy this," Paris argued, before Lorelai shoved the material aside. "Lor...come on...all for you."  
   
"Not for you...us. Please, baby, enjoy yourself...Make me see how you are when you come with me...I want this."  
   
"Fingers in my pussy...while my tongue's in your pussy?" Paris threw back her annoying hair. "You want that, don't you? Want me to finger myself?"  
   
"Yes...yes..." Lorelai gasped, her body warming. "Push your fingers in...like you think about me...fuck yourself for me...fuck me...I wanna make you forget about Jamie." Paris grinded herself against Lorelai to start things, her panties slowly rolling down with each thrust.  
   
"Oh...Lor...ugggh...uhhhh...like that?" She opened her legs so her clit could find a rhythm. "Do it to you like that...make you feel my cum on your smooth legs, running down them. All for you, my thoughts...ohhh...ohhh...fuck!"  
   
"Feels...so good." The women undulated in the bed, pushing the orgasms they wanted though themselves slowly, trying to draw them out. Lorelai's mouth opened wide as she pulled at Paris's hair from a beautiful slow thrust. "I want to make you come. Make me never forget this...God...Par...Par...."  
   
"Suck it in, Lor, build it up...gonna dip in...I'm so wet for you..."  
   
"Wet for me..."  
   
She sucked in a breath, letting her fingertips guide her to her swollen clit, the hood retracted back. She was beyond turned on. She carefully pushed in to avoid fulfillment too fast. "Oh, it's hard...hard..."  
   
"Touch it, guide me..."  
   
"Want me to touch myself. Play with my pussy with you on top..."  
   
"Yes...yes...yes..." She dove deeper into Lorelai as she began to circle her own mons, hissing with each touch. She always had been subdued with Jamie, but he didn't seem to know much of what she was doing. With a real woman though, things were much different. Forcing her fingers in, she vibrated her tongue in reaction with her voice against Lorelai.  
   
"AHHHH!!!'" Slowly she pushed in and out, her clit softly pinched between her fingers. She dipped her tongue in and out at an increasing rate, begging for Lorelai to speed up to meet her licks. "Come on...faster...faster...you want this, you...need this." Her vocal chords were tight, strained.  
   
"I wanna come...ohh...ohh....ohh..." Lorelai became more profane. "Shit, Par...that tongue...better than my vibe..." Her fingers pushed deeper in herself, meeting Paris's mouth thrust for thrust. The girl sucked on her lips, doing all she could to tease Lorelai. Her breasts bounced against her chest, seeming fuller in the darkness and with the extra attention on her.  
   
Paris's heart pounded within her chest as she pushed deeper inside, getting so hot by the sight in front of her. "I wish you could taste me...damn...oh shit, I can feel myself dripping out..."  
   
"Yes...yes...I want to feel you when I go to bed...in my sheets...spilling out...you're so goddamned tight."

Paris could barely speak, performing cunnilingus on the woman in front of her like it was a project she'd be graded on. The taste and the musky smell brought her in closer, her tongue pushing up the swollen button. She closed her eyes as feelings from her own self-fuck sprung through her body. Lorelai wasn't much better, eventually falling into gasps and shocked grunts.  
   
More time passing, and they were now fully nude. Paris slowly brought herself up Lorelai's body, wanting to share the moment with Lorelai in a close clench. Slow kissing up her body, and then she placed her finger in Lorelai's mouth to have her drink of her arousal. At the same time she pushed her other hand within the woman, while the brunette did the same for her. They found a rhythm, bucking against each other in a calm manner, going slow, building themselves up. The dirty talk continued further, Lorelai calling Paris 'her lady', continuing to be blunt about her pussy.  
   
"Fuck me...I wanted to get off in your bed, Lor," Paris confessed. "I wanted to rub myself off...get your blankets all wet...I didn't sleep for an hour after you left. Your bed...oh...oh..."  
   
"Naughty girl," Lorelai growled, using her other hand to slap Paris lightly on the ass. "Coming in my bed when I'm not here."  
   
"OHHH!" Paris bucked strongly against her. "Fuck, Lorelai!"  
   
"How does it feel, being with me? How do my fingers fill you up?"  
   
"Tight," Paris hissed. Lorelai pushed in further.  
   
"Shit, Par, naughty in my bed, wearing my shirt, stretching it out. I could deny you right now," Lorelai insinuated. "But you feel so nice...AHHH!!" Paris forced another finger in, making it three.  
   
"You're not much better...wearing nothing beneath in the classroom."  
   
"Oh, you're evil," Lorelai groaned. "Yet, I'd do it again."  
   
"So would I...again and again...and again." She sped her thrusts up. "Lorelai, come on...we want this."  
   
"You wanna come?"

"I want to spill out all over your nails," Paris begged. "See them dripping...you licking each finger off...do it...do it..."  
   
"Clench tightly for me, I'm gonna get you off," Lorelai said. "Gonna make you feel this all week. Do what he couldn't to you."  
   
"Deeper...please...oh God..." Lorelai let her fingers curve inside of Paris, looking for that sensitive point. "Jamie didn't know how...you do." She pushed in and out, the soft feel of skin to skin contact such a contrast to Jamie's rough treatment of her. "Please, Lor...ugggh...ugggh." She pushed her own fingers in closer against Lorelai's walls, and they began a newly sped up pace, stroking each other furiously, in and out against each other. Everything came to a head as Paris threw her head back and held on tight to Lorelai for dear life.  
   
"Par..."  
   
"Lor..." They closed their eyes, beginning to feel that tightness overcome them. Moaning out loud Paris pushed Lorelai as far as she could up the bed until they had the perfect leverage together to get off. Wrapping around each other, the women kissed one last time before Paris broke off from Lorelai, biting softly against her shoulder as the innkeeper hit her at her trigger point. She screamed into a pillow pushed against her as she hit her hilt, spilling out against Lorelai while her orgasm overcame her hard. She felt the stresses of the last week begin to melt away with each final push and pull, crying the woman's name repeatedly, begging for a full release.  
   
"Oh my godddd, oh goddd, Lor...Lor..." She began to wind down herself but stroked her hand within Lorelai, keeping a steady romantic rhythm as she felt the woman tighten up around her. She seethed out affirmation as she moved towards the boiling point, undulating her hips in a circle against Paris's own rotations to double her release. She fell into the mattress deeply as they began their final motions, and Lorelai found herself internally thankful that she wasn't acting in the wrong in being carnal towards her.  
   
The release between them was something that went beyond all explanation for both women. They pushed against each other, taking the strokes in, not holding back at all. Mashing their bodies together, there was an intimacy between them that was missing from their former loves. The mutual satisfaction was part of it to be sure, but between them it was also a shared moment, like one of Paris's many goals something that went beyond the wanting to feel. They were beginning to know each other, and crying out their releases out into the humid air of the second floor bedroom, that they were there for each other in a moment where they both needed someone not only unconnected to them to hear them about, but slowly becoming kindred. The inn troubles and Paris's quest to be her own woman, they mixed at the right time together, were heard out, and lead to this moment. Hair tickling each of their noses, the meeting of the sarcastic minds and beautiful women had become much more than the one afternoon stand of the week before.  
   
Paris had her eyes tightly shut as the waves came over her, those beautiful fingers within her working her perfectly into a frenzy. She lifted herself up and down as she heard Lorelai before, and she was surprised that the woman was so soft and settled with her own fruition. Like in the classroom she thought she'd thrash around, but in actuality the hotelier was overcome, yet calm as she rode it out, growling out "Par" in such a sensual and enflaming manner. A way that suggested that she wasn't quite done with Paris yet. Slowly, they settled themselves down, wanting to take their time, enjoy the moment, the feeling of being inside of each other. Paris didn't want to let go, and neither did Lorelai. Nothing could interrupt them at all, and soon Paris's heart was pumping slower and slower as she pulled out, careful that she wasn't too fast, easing her hand out from Lorelai's center. The same with the other woman though she continued to shimmy her hips until she felt herself worn out and pulled away, to take Paris into her arms.  
   
"Oh God," Paris said to herself softly, feeling so out of it from everything she just did. The other woman brushed the hair from her face, letting the hand only moments before within her brush her soft cheek, the tips brushing her lips. She slid out her tongue to taste of herself, the heady and raw liquid coating as promised dripping a bit onto her heated skin. Lorelai tasted of the young-blooded lady, biting her lip and closing her eyes as she moaned while licking her fingertips, before wiping the remainder like Paris did along her stomach. Their eyes were barely opened, the women tired as they drifted into the afterglow somewhat speechless, the hum of the air conditioner and their breathing the only audible sound within the room.  
   
Paris tumbled down so she was on the bed, and let her hand rest upon Lorelai's butt, being soft and gentle as Lorelai settled her hand possessively at her side and spooned against Paris facing her. The enigmatic eyes of the academic beauty reflected the moonlight from the window, shining a light almond instead of the darkness seen within the pupils earlier. She was focused on the beautiful woman within her grasp, the humor and panic from earlier now gone, replaced with serenity. Not a fear between them, or a sense they had done anything wrong. They knew in their hearts that nothing was wrong, and this was right. Paris's skin was like velvet with character to Lorelai, her nail tracing patterns within the natural moles peppering the Jewish girl's body, while the blonde concentrated her wandering in one space, soft, beautiful, lulling Lorelai's caffeine high from her body.  
   
They stayed like that for just over a half-hour, just feeling, watching, and having that security that they wouldn't break apart right away. There wasn't a rush to do more than they had, just that sense that in their crazy worlds, they fit together perfectly. The doubts they both had about the age gap, their differing views on things and the fear about Rory weren't there. Just constant touches, soft kissing, wandering fingers and the occasional compliment from one another about how a certain part of their body was beautiful. For Paris, it was her prominent dimples, becoming a fixture within Lorelai's memory. She let her hand brush the teen's smile line and circle within the depression. Paris thought more of her lover's intense blue eyes, the shade within them so enchanting to her, drawing her in from even across a room. "That's how I knew you were in the meeting room last week," Paris recalled. "I didn't see Rory at first, but I did see you."  
   
"So basically I could have run, but the only way I could've hid is if I blinded myself?" Smirking, Paris smiled.  
   
"They're intense, very much so." She brushed her hand across Lorelai's cheek. "When Jamie walks into a room, the air seemed to collapse because he was so dull. Just by seeing you in one though, it prepares me. It pushes me to know that you'll be there, ready to either agree with me, or bring me into a spirited argument."  
   
"Well, I can't say a parent's meeting hasn't ever been boring without you in it." Staring at the girl, she felt so revered, and light. Like for once it wasn't a chore for anyone to deal with her. She couldn't take her eyes off Paris at all, and she didn't want to move. "I...I honestly don't know what to say about...about that."

"Me...me either," Paris admitted, taking a deep breath. "It was unlike the classroom in so many ways."  
   
"I haven't felt this good in years." Lorelai laughed wryly, and Paris thought she was lying in a boastful sort of way.  
   
"You don't mean that."

"Actually, I do." The soft, throaty voice was serious, no mirth to be found. "I mean, every guy I date, like Max, I pretty much have come off like a prankster, someone willing to try anything once. They think I'm sort of kinky and open to go beyond the usual." She paused, trying to make Paris understand in her terms. "Like let's put it this way, with everyone else there's this bit of danger that I get off to. They see me and there's a bit of danger too. Usually though, that's all they see, and well, I now am the proud carrier of one broken engagement because of it."

"But Rory's father," Paris argued, her voice buffeted in a quiet hush. "Surely that's still there."  
   
Lorelai put those thoughts to rest "Not for a long time, dear. No, not again. He...well, it's complicated between us, but let's just say since I asked him for some kind of help with Chilton before my parents made me take out the contract signed in blood, I can't depend on him. The sex is good, yes. The friendship, amazing. But that's it. In a way I think of him more as a friend who just happened to father my kid than any kind of serious lover at all." Her hand slid along Paris's stomach as she made her point. "Kind of like you and that blonde jackass you loved before he went Felonious Monk on you. You pine for him from afar and think the world of him, but once he fucks up, that's it. You don't see them without judgmental eyes anymore, and he's forever sullied to you by one move. For Chris, that was asking for marriage despite the fact I didn't want to go further."  
   
"I guess there's a correlation between Tristan and Christopher." Paris blinked her eyes, surprised by the enigmatic talking points from Lorelai. "And in a way, I guess we're both the same in regards to each other. We both enjoy regimen and schedule, everything in a straight line. I might want it totally unchanged and you don't mind bumps, but otherwise it's pretty much the same: we're both creatures of habit. But we also crave excitement, and for me, I thought that was Jamie. You, it's this challenging Inn thing going on."  
   
"Exactly, you're right."  
   
"But we never saw this connection we had coming, at all. It wasn't even on the radar." Paris, usually animated with her points was instead calm against the older woman. "I go back over that day, the signs I had that I felt a yearning for you, and I knew I ignored them, but more out of my sense that I'm just plain and dull, while you're extremely gorgeous and stunning. That's why I thought I shouldn't dare to say anything about it. I thought you'd probably just laugh and reject me, think it was cute I had a girl crush on you and tell me to stick with Jamie because I couldn't do any better."  
   
"Heyyy, I thought we were done with putting yourself down," Lorelai said, showing disdain for her lover's thoughts. Her fingers along the small of her back, she kissed the girl on the lips, and reiterated her stance. "Now let me say this again to you, Par. You're not going to be ever called beautiful by Anna Wintour or a soap manufacturer because they're looking for apple-pie girl next door type girls, cold bitches who subsist on pageants and compliments from creepy old guys who think the perfect girl can only be 36-24-36. You may even just cede to Louise and Madeline as more beautiful than you are. But I will say right now that I'm feeling up a beautiful and sexual woman. It takes someone with real guts to stand up to me and say to play up my sex appeal like you did by asking me to take the sweater down a button. If that was a man, damn right I would have squeezed him until he exploded. But with someone like you, to notice that? I'm more than flattered." Touching her index to Paris's chin softly, she went on. "As for you though, when you play up your features like you did in that stunning dress tonight, you're a looker for sure, Paris. You're a natural and earthy beauty that I wish I saw more of out in the world, the kind that only needs a bit of powder here and there, and a bit of Clearasil occasionally. I can tell you don't do much in the morning, right?"  
   
"Maybe some mascara and a shampoo," Paris admitted. "A bit of brushing with the makeup brush to cover a couple spots, but I'm not concerned about it."

"Hairspray?"  
   
Paris shook her head. "I'd rather have a bad hair day than a bad earth day, it ruins mine anyways."  
   
"And your deodorant? Anything fancy?"  
   
"Umm...." She nervously laughed. "I actually need a prescription antiperspirant. I have active glands."  
   
"See, honesty. Another thing that you have going for you!" She smiled, assuring the girl that her unique chemistry wasn't a setback. "Besides, it shouldn't be a problem after next week; it's all that dumb uniform's fault."  
   
"I'm glad to see one of my physical conditions is a turn on for you." Shaking her head, Paris smiled, curling into Lorelai, enjoying her body heat. "But really, thank you for those compliments. I've...you know, this is so weird for me."  
   
"Pillow talk?"  
   
She nodded. "I like to analyze after the fact usually, but when it comes to sex I like to bask, to let my mind wander. I don't feel challenged at all, but I don't need to. I just have to know that what we just did was something amazing, inevitable and erotic. I mean, I craved to be this close to you tonight, but I would have been content to wallow."  
   
"I might have too," Lorelai said, enjoying the rapport. "I just went around Doose's thinking all these thoughts about you but I pushed them off to the side because I was afraid that it was too soon."

"The same with me before I went to sleep." Caressing Lorelai's skin, Paris looked at her, feeling something building between them. "I...really did mean the amazing and erotic part too. I'll feel this on Monday yet."  
   
"You mean that?" Paris nodded in ascent. "I am sorry you didn't really get a chance to wallow though."  
   
Paris, shaking her head, initiated a quick, slow kiss with Lorelai to remind her how little wallowing she needed. When she released, she smirked. "This kind of wallowing is actually much healthier. It burned a few calories." She winked at the woman and uncharacteristically giggled softly. "Also helped me work on my naughty vocabulary list."

"So that's what this was, huh? You just used me to lose a few pounds and say a few curse words?" Lorelai returned the kiss, feeling strangely playful with the academic. "And get naked with me?"  
   
"You're not in a position to complain... _Ms. Gilmore_." She drew out the proper name in a way that turned the brunette on and made her moan out loud.  
   
"I swear, you are just incorrigible. I give you an inch--"  
   
"Don't give me inches. They've always seemed to disappoint." There was that husky and sensual voice again, driving Lorelai wild.  
   
"Dirty!" She exclaimed. "Wow, Ms. Prim and Proper turns out to be Miss Jackson and nasty! Damn!" Curling into the girl, she played with her hair as sleep began to blanket the both of them. "Seriously, you're not mad we didn't have a movie night with...oh crap." She slammed her head on the pillow.

"Something wrong?"  
   
"Well, your ice cream is now perfect to pour corn flakes into. I guess I should be glad that's the only thing I left out though. I was really looking forward to it too, just sharing something junky and unhealthy for you for once. From the way Rory talks about you, your body is 80% soy."

"She's wrong. It's only about 35%," Paris quipped back. "But if you'd like, I can go one day without my balanced breakfast regimen." With a slight grin she kissed the tip of Lorelai's nose and kept her voice low. "Ice cream it is, then."  
   
"Am I a bad influence on you?" Lorelai asked, teasing the petite girl with her hand sliding along her back.  
   
"I'm in your bed, aren't I?" Paris knew she was walking on eggshells, but enjoyed the freeness of this new thing between the Chilton mom and herself. The two women continued to chat for a few more minutes until their eyes finally became weighed down, and they fell asleep within each other's arms, the security of the locked door so much comfort to the both of them, along with the newfound respect and admiration they had for each other in more than an intimate sense. As Lorelai's thoughts wound down, she reflected within herself about how she wished she would have never made that "I've got the good kid" taunt Paris never heard.  
   
_I...God, I was so wrong about her_. She stared at the sleeping girl as she curled her perfect blonde hair around a finger. _It's Rory who's still the kid. She has all of these people in town, her grandparents and me to protect her from everything big and bad in this world, and her decisions aren't ever rash or sudden. But you, dear, you're not Rory. And thank God for that. How the hell you lived eighteen years with all of this pressure on you to be the best and follow what everybody wants of you with all this peer pressure trying to take you off track, I wish I could know. I wish this would have been me when I was eighteen. Not that I'd ever want to lose Rory, but if I had just ignored, stayed focused and let my ass focus on school instead of boys, who knows? Where would I be?  
   
_ Her thoughts continued as she pushed close to Paris in a security blanket sort of way. _What you did tonight was gutsy. Standing up to your boyfriend, leaving him behind and then coming in and just, how can I describe the last five hours? That we could go from such close heart to hearts and then making love like we did. I...I've never been attracted to women though, that's what gets me. I just could never think of myself as in that direction, though I never thought about it at all, really. But with you, it's like breathing. It felt natural. It felt wonderful and extremely beautiful. I don't want to overthink this, and I know if we go forward we might end up hurt. Yet...yet...  
   
_ Lorelai began to drift off to sleep completely, losing her train of thought in the haze of her psychosis winding down her continually active brain. Yet somehow it managed to get one more wave of communication out before sleep overtook her, the fears of commitment seemingly numbed by the moment, and the woman snoozing next to her.  
   
_I want more of this. Of you..._  


* * *

Paris was having the best sleep of her life, she was fully convinced of that. Her dreams were beautiful and vivid, nothing explicit, but just of her and Lorelai talking together in quiet moments. The caring in the woman's voice, her motherly concern was like a warm blanket to her. Usually she would have been up like a light at 7am, a seemingly permanent trigger for the buzzer within her biological clock. It could never be put back in to silence it and even on the weekends she had to be the first one in the Manor up, lest she lose important studying time.  
   
This Sunday morning though she didn't have any alarm to rouse her from her beauty rest. She was too happy and serene to be disturbed, and nothing could stop her from sleeping the most important day before exams away.  
   
Except a rooster. A very loud rooster which interrupted a mirage of her and that older Gilmore woman having a bitch session about how moronic one of the other Chilton mothers were about booster club issues.  
   
"Shuddup, rooster," she mumbled into the pillow, trying to cover her ears with it to block the noise. But it wouldn't stop and the rooster kept crowing, louder and louder. "I said shuddup, naw ready do geddup..."  
   
She was then reminded that she didn't have a rooster at home, nor had she ever been woken up by one to begin with. The crowing also seemed to be in an unvarying infinite loop, and Paris thought it would be variable at least a little bit. Slowly coming to, she was beginning to think there was no rooster where she was sleeping.  
   
She was right. On the table a brown vintage-like analog alarm clock was crowing at her to wake up. With all of the manners and class that had been instilled in her over the years, she slapped the top of the device with heavy force, cutting the bird sound off mid-'cock'. Groaning, she felt so interrupted, looking over the numbers in the clock to see what time it was.  
   
 _9:34. So that means I slept just a few minutes shy of nine hours._ She wasn't quite used to the surroundings of the room in the sunlight and was lost for a moment trying to remember where she was in it. Stretching out, she let her feet touch the soft carpet, and prepared to get ready to get dressed.  
   
She groaned as she remembered that what she came in wasn't really appropriate to wear on a Sunday morning. She hesitated for a moment, looking towards the far side of the room for the shirt she wore to bed but couldn't find it.  
   
"Damn it." She really didn't want to wear that forsaken dress ever again. It had history behind it, horrible history, full of reminders of the argument with Jamie that ended with their breaking up. But if she were to call Henrico now for a ride home, what could she wear?  
   
As she prepared to make the bed (she was a guest, and it was only considerate to do so), she ended up finding Lorelai's flannel shirt between a couple blankets. For once she didn't want to think about what she wore, and she was chilly from the air conditioning, so she slipped it on along with her panties. She felt in a rush as she made the bed and straightened the corners, keeping her mind off the last night before she actually had to deal with it. For all she knew she had to get out of there with expedient speed in case Rory was coming home early, despite Lorelai's assurances that she was gone until about 11am with Jess since she had some crazy idea that it would be fun to watch him work at Wal-Mart for a couple of hours. She gathered up her things into a spare Blommingdale's Brown Bag off to the side, and though she felt very odd for doing so, also grabbed a pair of clean-looking sweat pants from the Pile of Injury and put them on; she was thankful they were a loose fit. She felt so weird for borrowing Lorelai's laundry, but what else was she going to do?  
   
She was also under the assumption that since Lorelai wasn't in the room, she was having second thoughts about what they did last night. She felt extremely guilty with her own self, taking advantage of an ankle strain to woo the woman. On the top of the landing before she ran down the stairs, she brushed back her astray hair, regret beginning to flair up.  
   
"Oh my God, what was I thinking?" Her voice was panicked, and her eyes were widened as she saw the night, clear as the day streaming through the windows. She was the one in need of help, and with Lorelai she breached that trust to seduce her. "Paris Gellar, you inconsiderate slut!" She pinched her forehead as she berated herself. "Great, so apparently I can only come if I'm breaking up with someone else and in bed with my comforter. Wonderful. I've really done it this time!" If it wasn't for her cell phone being in her purse on the coffee table, Paris would have slumped out of the house in shame.  
   
She hated herself for taking a situation which should have been easy and complicating it further. Still, she tried to hold in what was left of her dignity as she went downstairs to say her goodbyes and eat her ice cream breakfast. Internally she hoped Lorelai didn't hate her, nor would she make accusations that bedding her was the trophy in some Chilton scavenger hunt. She didn't know if it was true, but she wouldn't put Duncan and Bowman past putting that in.  
   
Down the stairs, she hit the landing and headed towards the kitchen, doubtful that the morning light would bring her a happy Ms. Gilmore glad she was in bed with her. Paris was a pessimist at heart and assumed the worst. She saw the usually kind woman realizing her mistake the moment she woke up and shrouded in regret as she made the right turn towards the kitchen. She looked down at her bare feet wanting to shrink away her 5'3" frame before she crossed the threshold. Doubts magnifying, nerves jittery, she prepared for the woman to argue that she was just being nice when they had sex.  
   
To her surprise, Lorelai got up from a chair where she was reading over the _Sunday Courant_ 's real estate section, and was the first to tell Paris the wonderful news.

"They put it in!!" She hugged the girl, who totally found it unexpected. "I'm so happy!"  
   
Still tired, Paris wondered what Lorelai was so happy about. "Who put what--" Another surprise, as Lorelai kissed her on the lips when she least expected it. "--in?"  
   
"They said it would take at least four months but they must've gotten through probate and finally realized they couldn't possibly keep it for themselves," Lorelai said, excited.  
   
"Probate? Huh?" Paris looked up. "I'm lost."  
   
"The Dragonfly, remember?" It seemed Lorelai needed no coffee this morning as she bounced up and down. "I've been getting all the financials in place and the loan agreements, and next Thursday it goes to bidding on the steps of Waterbury Courthouse at 12:30pm with a starting price of $29,000. I will be there and hopefully I'll outbid some sleazy guy who bought some $700 course from Don Lapre and thinks he's the next Donald Trump."  
   
"Well...congratulations." Paris smiled at her. "I hope you do get it, since you deserve it and all." And Paris knew that she did; it must've been tough having to keep her intentions quiet and under the cuff to respect the family as they went through the grieving process. "I couldn't imagine anyone else running a better inn than you."  
   
"Thanks for that. If only the town would know that though. Taylor refuses to just give me a hospitality permit without actually having a venue to put a permit in, so until I actually get the building I can't go forward with most of my plans."  
   
"Not even an architect?" Lorelai shook her head.  
   
"It's a courthouse sale. I put in a few bids, hope I don't go over my limit and cross my fingers. I'll get around to historical preservation and all the other issues once I can actually get in the building without risking a trespassing charge." Sighing, she took the conversation elsewhere. "But enough about me, let's talk about you for once. You hear more about me than Cameron Diaz on some days."  
   
"There's not much, I just got up." She looked down at her clothes. "And apparently I didn't pack for a sleepover as you can see."  
   
Lorelai directed a strange smile in the direction of Paris's chest. "Oh, I see all right." Taking it wrong, Paris thought she was in trouble.  
   
"I...I didn't get the urge to dig in your dresser drawers, because that would have been wrong." She felt nervous from the unyielding stare weighing her down. Lorelai pursed her lips together, finding her view of the petite woman to be pleasing. "If you want me to change, I can, if you'd like. You know, because I'm wearing this stuff and...I don't know that you'd give me permission to do so, because..."  
   
The woman backed her towards the refrigerator. "You don't have to change."  
   
"Good. Because, I..." She didn't understand what was going on with her at all. Paris felt so nervous, she couldn't seem to find her words. She felt extremely weak and frustrated, trying to come to terms with what she was suddenly feeling all over again. She thought she was all over it, that she'd be all settled down and move back into her usual guise of being sullen and dry.  
   
Instead, she had to deal Lorelai's eyes staring her down, scanning her and enjoying the view. Flecks of silver seemed to reflect in the light of her pupils, and the blonde thought she heard a soft primal growl slip from the lips of the lady of the house. Her hands moved up, sidling along the button trail of the flannel shirt. Holding her breath, Paris was caught between the fridge and Lorelai, who pushed her legs in closer. Wearing low-cut jeans she showed a little skin along the bottom of her stomach. A peek of blue lace along the waistband teased Paris further and she quickly felt the temperature in the room rising. Her breathing picked up as she tried to distract herself away from the situation.  
   
The woman tested how far she could go with her flirting, her fingers trailing within her flannel shirt and down along her young lover's exposed cleavage. She closed her eyes part way and let her voice lower down further.  
   
"I left the shirt on the bed on purpose." She curled her lips into a half-smile. "I didn't want you to go home in that dress."  
   
"I didn't want to either," Paris reasoned.    
"No, it's not that." Taking down the flannel one button, she explained further. "I didn't want you to wear that dress because I'd much rather remember this night the way you were. Sitting on my bed, massaging my ankle, slowly bringing me closer into your world and finding a common ground I haven't found in years." She slid herself provocatively close to Paris, forcing the girl to move a hand back to brace the counter next to the refrigerator. "I felt so awkward getting up this morning and leaving you behind because I wanted to stay in bed with you for another couple hours."  
   
"Why didn't you then?" Paris wondered, feeling a bit shaky.  
   
"If I did, I might have never set the alarm for you, we would've slept until Rory came home and it would've been awkward city." She tittered nervously. "Not that I'm trying to hide you or anything, but--"  
   
"I understand. I'd rather just enjoy this right now, between us without anyone butting in." Paris, usually one to bring up all the complex issues of a non-affair like they having, wasn't ready to dwell on them on any way. "I misconstrued your being down here as a rejection, and I must apologize for doing so." 

Lorelai shook her head, her left hand bracing Paris's waist in a possessive manner. "I never meant to make you feel bad. I'm just so antsy lately, anything with the Inn, I have to know. I swear I've looked at the telephone pole outside of Town Hall for the auction notice more than the power company lineman. I just...I want it so bad, I can taste it. But I'm just afraid some speculator's gonna snap it up, or worse, a jackass who'll put it on the market at an obscene price so only some hospitality monolith can snap it up and slap a Staybridge Suites sign smack on the front." 

"Lor, you're going to get it," Paris said, noting the panic in the woman's eyes. "That building is way too historic to be reduced to a bland extended stay place. Everyone in town, this county knows that if there's one woman who deserves this, it's you, not anyone else. You didn't spend fourteen years moving up from housekeeper to manager, while sacrificing many a night getting your business degree so that you could run some bland Comfort Inn where you have to counter one hotel's 'Free HBO' with 'Free Starz'. You have the backing. You have the support. Don't go on those steps letting anyone else intimidate you." She directed a stern drill sergeant at the woman, while her steady voice gave her the boost she needed. "I swear to God if I hear you lost that inn because you didn't want to be a bitch and outbid some dick _Price is Right_ -style by $1, I will kick your ass. You bid early, you bid often, and you raise up that hand in the name of not only civic pride, but your own. Because after that, when you complete that building and open it, whoever lost to you should look in your direction and realize whatever McMansion shit plan which was in their mind wasn't worth it at all." 

Taking in the girl's words, Lorelai was shocked by how Paris didn't mince her thoughts of the situation at all. Looking down at her, she was surprised at the effect the speech had on her after feeling like she was all alone with Sookie in trying to get the building. All those years staring at it from afar, it used to be a dream, but with the reality beginning to set in, she was beginning to buckle. Could she put the effort forth to make the business succeed on her own terms, or would she be overwhelmed by it? She went to bed every night with those thoughts, and since she was a solitary woman shielding her worries behind humor, kept them internally in her mind.  
   
That Paris could saw through her doubts and tell her in no uncertain terms that she must be cutthroat in the auction, it drove her to the scene of that auction and being conservative at first, until slowly while the others puddled along with their terms and she laid the perfect price to shut them up. She saw some subdivision developer ready to choke her because their stupid cookie-cutter concept wouldn't be on that historic land, nor some fake 'preservationist' woman buying the house just so she could get _This Old House_ and HGTV out there and get her face time while they turned it into some _Town and Country_ nightmare.  
   
_No,_ she thought to herself, focused and stone cold. _That is **my** inn; she's right. There's no doubt that I will get it, I just have to stop thinking about everyone else and just think about what will be done. It's a certainty, and nothing can stop me._  
   
She stared at Paris, entranced by how she had went from so polished that she was sure even the buttons on her blazer were spit-shined every morning to bring out the intricacies within the bronzed Chilton crest, but yet in her flannel shirt and without her hair brushed, she still looked like a stunning and beautiful girl. She still couldn't believe that she had been intimate with her, twice. Where as she should have felt wrong and stupid for even kissing the girl to begin with, she hadn't felt any guilt about what they shared. The way she talked, how she walked, the demeanor in which she carried herself as strong and independent. While she sipped her coffee earlier she had come to the conclusion that Jamie obviously thought he was dating a total pushover in Paris, that he used her being in love with him to try to steer her away from the life she wanted to lead. Thinking she'd capitulate, he pushed her to be with him, no matter what. He didn't see the strength and beauty within her, and for that he went home the night before having lost the one opportunity he had to have a woman who he could match wits with and would be with him through everything, no matter what.  
   
Jamie lost Paris by being stupid. And Lorelai thought that was inexcusable.  
   
She felt a pull inside of her suddenly, a want to show the girl how special she thought she was. Her breath was shaky, her eyes focused down as her fingers drifted across Paris's collarbone, the scent wafting from her a mix of her own scent and the faded fragrance of the night before, meant for Jamie but enjoyed by her instead. In a pinching motion that hand trailed down the center of the shirt, and Lorelai felt desire build up through her again. The speech, Paris's tone with her, that reality check had focused her sights on scoring the inn, but also triggered her to thank Paris for that pinch she needed to drive her further.  
   
Lorelai hadn't spoken in a couple of minutes through her thoughts, and Paris was naturally worried.  
   
"Lorelai?" She questioned the woman nervously. "You OK?"  
   
She directed her gaze downward, towards the sweatpants, hanging awkwardly around Paris's waist. Seductive, she let her voice lilt with her desire.  
   
"I'm fine, but how are you?" She found the waistband of the panties and slid her hand along it.  
   
"What are you doing?" Paris began to pant as the woman's hand drifted within the shirt. "I...I...it's still early in the morning."  
   
"I'm going to get that inn," she said, pushing open a button and circling her thumb along the top silk edging. "You're certainly right about that."  
   
"You....know I'm right." She began to feel closed in.  
   
"Of course you are." Lorelai's cool palm slid down Paris's right breast. "But you know what else I want?" Her head moved closer to Paris's, lips directed right towards the woman.  
   
"What?" _This is...what are you doing to me, woman?_ Paris was beginning to feel pushed to her limits.  
   
"The reason I had to get up and get away from you is not because I regretted you at all." She kissed Paris softly, letting her tongue slide across those full lips and pushing her hand down a bit more. The drawstring of the sweatpants was hastily done and quickly loosened, with the garment falling into a pool at Paris's ankles. Pulling away barely, her sweet motherly voice was a whisper as the naughty woman who wasn't known for being subtle made her point. "It took all I had to get away from you because sleeping, you look so sensual and soft, like a living embodiment of Sleeping Beauty. I felt guilty for wanting to wake you up just for my own needs, so I threw on my robe, headed to the shower, and...You can use that MENSA-approved imagination to figure it out." She nipped her upper lip, and Paris felt her control beginning to melt away, along with all of her fears. She drew out Lorelai's name, overpowered by the idea she got her wet just by laying there.  
   
Pushing closer to her core, Lorelai played to Paris, soothing her, going on about how the night before meant so much to her, how beautiful it was to know that behind her prim façade, Paris was a wildflower, no wallflower at all. Paris began to encourage Lorelai further, wrapping her arms around the small of her back, trapping her and pushing things along. Never in her wildest desires did she think this would happen to her. Lorelai drifted kisses from her mouth and down her neck, and soon she had pushed the shirt far enough off so that Paris's shoulders were both exposed. The brown-eyed girl was being seduced in the way she always desired, the one to be controlled. She easily ceded it to Lorelai.  
   
"You want this, don't you?" Lorelai said deeply, with her fingers trailing down Paris's dampening mons. "You've been anticipating this."  
   
"Maybe," Paris admitted. "I kind of had a dream that I remember a bit of."  
   
"I think I heard that." She took down the shirt a couple more buttons, sliding it further down her arms. "Something about you and I, the kitchen at the Independence?"  
   
"Oh God, I slept-talked that one?" She blushed deeply.  
   
"It also involved the Bracebridge Dinner, if I recall." She moved down, kissing along the petite girl's collarbone.  
   
"It did...oh, man. Yeah, that...that's a trigger point." She groaned, turned on as Lorelai kissed down the her side from the crook of her arm down.  
   
"You were mad because I wasn't period appropriate." 

"Yess...."  
   
"So you pushed me into the kitchen and lectured me further, and apparently I made a joke of some kind." She pushed her fingers against Paris, teasing her slit through her panties. "I don't know though, you mumbled it. You were having it just as I was dressing in the bedroom."  
   
"Oh." If there was a hole beneath her feet, Paris would gladly jump down it. But she was too turned on to even move. "You must think...I'm so annoying."  
   
"Annoying isn't the word I would use," Lorelai soothed out, kissing her way across Paris's chest. "I'd say that you are more...unique."  
   
"Righhht. You're thinking of somebody else..." Paris rolled her eyes back, fingers circling in a lengthy circular stroke, teasing towards sliding in the space between the fabric and her skin. "Ohhh, damn!"  
   
"Am I?" Lorelai inquired, relaxing Paris further against the fridge while the shirt slacked down to frame her chest. "You do know you had me right in this same position in your dream?" 

"Against the cooler?"  
   
"Mm-hmm. How could I not think that was hot? Your active imagination's giving mine a race here." Her fingertips pushed aside the soaked material to expose one side of her lips. "I never thought I'd hear the words 'If you're not going period appropriate, then don't bother wearing clothes' from you." She then pushed up, shoving the material aside to rub Paris's clit.  
   
"Well I never thought you'd listen! That's why it's a fantasy!" Pushing against the cold surface of the metal door Paris rooted her foot against the bottom plate of the white appliance.  
   
"Fantasies can come true though," Lorelai said deeply. "Fantasies can be fuel for your soul." She slid her hand to fist the wet material. "Fantasies, they keep me sane."  
   
"Lor..." Paris felt herself tightening up in plae.  
   
"Tell me what you want, Par. Make it come true, I'm right here." Her fingers spun around the pink nub, letting the blood flow away from Paris's well-worn brain and towards her aching center.  
   
"I don't know...I don't...oh God, please, keep it up, keep it up...ugggh."  
   
"You have a kinky woman on your hands who has your panties hidden in her nightstand. I did something in them, I thought of us, together in my bed. I fucked myself to the thought of you, wearing what you did that day we found our common ground..." She instigated a strong open-mouth kiss, caressing the girl's soft face, running fingers through her silken locks. Paris pushed Lorelai harder against her, her hands gripping Lorelai's ass at the bottom.  
   
"That is...so wrong..." Paris gasped. She was far from repulsed, the images of the woman rubbing her pussy within them making her flush with wanton lust. "Fuck...go on...yes...yes..." The stroking became faster as the woman's fingertips worked their magic.  
   
"All week I've been bad, thinking of you when I should've been cheerleading for Jamie. Instead I had my fingers in knuckle-deep and thinking of them as yours, or mine inside of you...I can't stop thinking of you at all, Par. The Inn's #1 in mind, worries of my daughter 2nd, but you're definitely the one I turn to so I can forget all about them." She slid a finger in, continuing her clit rub while stimulating Paris further.  
   
"I've...been a naughty girl, Ms. Gilmore," she admitted between throes. "I even wore...your skirt...to a Sunday brunch. The one I stole. I wore it...so I could fuck myself in it...ohhh...ohhh..."  
   
"God, Par," Lorelai kissed her again, their tongues twining, the scent of Paris's pheromones overpowering. "Did you soak it?"  
   
"Yes..."  
   
"How much?"  
   
"I spent two hours...thinking about us...I was bare except for it and black thigh-highs...nothing on..." She closed her eyes, seething as Lorelai slowly inched in a second finger. "I thought of you on top of me...rubbing my tits...getting me off, hitching up the skirt...aaaahhh, oh shit!"  
   
Lorelai's voice darkened, the imagery so vivid, thinking of Paris on a bed like she had in childhood. "You're a bad girl, ruining my clothes like that."  
   
"I am...I'm horrible...I play all quiet and innocent in school, but I like to be dark. Love...my dark side. Being vindictive, a bitch." 

"Do you enjoy punishment?" Pushing in the two fingers in a swift motion Paris almost collapsed. "Knowing how much you pissed me off that first year?"  
   
"I...I actually got hot to you...punishing my friends for sneaking out...it was something else."  
   
"You were good that night. But not the rest." Lorelai was relishing everything, her shock in Paris's language quickly pushed aside because the cultured monotone being filled with such disobedience giving her such a challenge. "I never hit, but I do love to shame, Par. It's a rush to do something to make someone think twice before they mess with me." Her thumb turned counter-clockwise to circle as Paris braced her right arm against the fridge. "From now on, you soak my clothes only when I'm in front of you."  
   
"No," Paris sneered out. "I'll think of you however I want, in whatever I want."  
   
"Par...I'm serious." Her strokes went deeper, past the knuckle, a third slowly inching in.  
   
"You're all talk!!"  
   
"Oh, am I?" She pushed down the shirt, moved down to suck at Paris's left nipple, scraping at it lightly and suddenly, while down below she used her left hand to take the material of Paris's panties. She was intending to push them off to one side, but instead they tore at the seam and almost came apart as the force stressed the silk threads holding the garment together. Paris cried out loud, bumping her head against the fridge, the gall of the woman sending shockwaves through her system.  
   
"You bitch!!" She scorned. "FUCK!!"  
   
"I love that name, fits me well." Smiling up from her breast she lathed her tongue around the nipple, as Paris became a mess in front of her. She was gushing out small bits of arousal, her eyes rolled back in her head as the older woman turned her out like she never had been with Jamie. Soon she pushed in and out to meet the strokes, overwhelmed by her heated body. The loud gasps and moans quieted into a line of incomprehensible whinnying, Paris pushed hard against the fridge, her ass making an imprint against the door of the old workhouse of the Gilmore household. Lorelai pushed against her as the fridge shook in front of her, a box of Special K and an older can of Hills Bros. knocked down to the counter in the rush. Lorelai's eyes took on a lustful shade of cool blue, pushing out Paris's come with all that she could muster.  
   
"Come on Par, come for me, spill out, baby. I want to feel you." Paris kept meeting her strokes.  
   
"Wanna real bad, wanna come. I want you...Lor...Lor...fuck...damn..."  
   
"You're so wet, so beautiful, very tight, you know how to do this..."  
   
"I do...yes...yess...uggh...yes...please..."  
   
"You have a nice tight slit, come on, do it. You want this, you need this. Something to think about for exams, please, want you to do this."  
   
"Lor...roll faster...faster...faster..." She picked up the stroking, while her shirt rode up to expose her belly. Lorelai pushed it up, craving that skin-on-skin contact. This was all for Par, not for her. She just wanted the girl to feel comfortable as possible. "You look beautiful Lor...yes...oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, yesssss..."  
   
"Come on, bad girl, get it, I'm ready for you, do it, come against me, I want you to."  
   
"Your hands...so beautiful...slim...perfect...fucking me...fuck me please Lor, make me come, I beg."  
   
Lorelai felt the clenching from Paris's walls begin. "You're almost, I'm going faster, spill...spill."  
   
"I can feel it, oh crap!"  
   
"So tight, so fucking tight, you feel so good!"  
   
"Lorelai, oh God! I...I...fucking brilliant, fucking awesome, oh dear!"  
   
"Come on..." 

"Lor..." 

"Par..." 

"Gonna...come..." Her eyes tightened hard, her calves stretched out as she braced her foot and rear against the fridge door. "God...oh God...ohh...uhh..." She hyperventilated deeply as the torrents and waves began to rumble through her body. Never had she thought Lorelai could be such a commanding woman to her, giving her this pleasure and dominance. She bit her lip trying to hold back a scream, but her lungs filled deeply with air, forcing her exhalation out in a strangled gasp that she hoped wouldn't suggest Lorelai was murdering her with an axe. 

The woman's pumping was heard within the echoing space, Paris dampened like she never had been before. She settled against the girl and offered her shoulder to settle her head on, expecting her to take it.  
   
But even in her loss of focus, Paris wanted this to end on a note she didn't want to forget. She slid her left hand up to cradle Lorelai's head, and pushed her mouth against hers in a scorching kiss filled with all of those emotions she never found with Jamie at all. Their mouths opened, Paris was inviting of Lorelai's tongue and twisted hers around as if desperate for the woman. Her throat reverberated full force as the orgasm flowed through her small body. Her muscles were tight as the endorphins took effect, extending her pleasure while she kissed her favorite Chilton parent deeply, almost in a possessive manner. She pushed in and out slowly against Lorelai, elongating the pleasure as long as she could before the effect of her orgasm began to dissipate. She puffed in and out against Lorelai's mouth, her breaths quick, while Lorelai let her other hand settle against her chest to take in the pounding heartbeat of the young woman.  
   
"There we go. That's it, let yourself unwind, this was wonderful, right?"  
   
"Uh-huh." Paris was quiet, overwhelmed by the recent occurrences. "Yes, good." Slowly Lorelai drew out of her, knowing the connection was almost umbilical as she brought the girl to release. 

"Easy, easy, just let yourself settle." She pushed Paris's damp hair out of the way, resting her forehead on hers, doing what she could to keep her from short circuiting. "I really didn't think you'd be that all wound up."  
   
"I...didn't...either." Paris couldn't think straight as she came down from her euphoria, surprised with even herself as to how much Lorelai got to her. "Oh dear." She felt a bit mortified standing in the kitchen with Rory's room right in her view, pushing her damaged panties back across her as much as she could, though a portion sunk from the tear.  
   
Lorelai pulled away from her and she almost slid to the ground against the refrigerator, only to be kept up while Lorelai retrieved a chair from the table and had her crumple onto it. She was completely and utterly relaxed, nothing weighing on her mind. Exams were as distant as her college graduation to her, and for once she didn't care that hours of precious study time were spent instead with a woman she used to loathe for having better luck than she did in life.  
   
She groaned, closing her thighs as Lorelai licked the dripping arousal from her fingertips, savoring the taste of her intimacy like a gummy bear. "Can I ask again why Jamie never went down on you?"  
   
She rolled her eyes, annoyed by him. "It wasn't proper."  
   
"For a Princeton student he's pretty stupid." Lorelai laughed, grabbing a dish towel to wipe the remainder from her fingers before washing her hands. "You are a sexual dynamo, honey! Rory goes on as if your sexual matters are like a root canal, but you've been hiding this wild side from everybody." Washing her hands, Paris pushed up her sweatpants and began to re-dress as she talked to Lorelai as if finally, someone got her.  
   
"I've always been wild," she shared. "But with the parents, academics and everything I stay out of the spotlight. I can't draw attention to myself or really go beyond the pale. Jamie just happened to come at the right time to give my parents something good to say about me that doesn't have the word GPA or 'First Team' within it." Lorelai sat down next to her, pushing newspaper sections out of the way.  
   
"I can't imagine. You have yourself sealed up, and you can't let anyone in."  
   
"It's frustrating, really. I have all these thoughts over the years about things I'd like to try, but once I finally get a boyfriend, he doesn't want to explore. Like, I wanted to try some long lovemaking, right? Not all night, but something like three, four hours, slow mini-orgasms leading up to big ones, no patch of flesh unkissed. I want to try that. But Jamie just wanted to stick it in me and get done."  
   
"I haven't had that in years," Lorelai admitted. "My guys are all about that too, they don't care about us. I really hate to fake but I've done it more often than I've come from someone else." She looked down at the table, admitting a result of last night. "Before we were in that classroom, the last time I felt 'happy'? When I said yes to Max's proposal and we celebrated."  
   
"That can't be good for you."  
   
"Imagine, two years between an induced orgasm. You wonder why you made me scream so loud!"  
   
"Lorelai," she demurred. "I'm not that good. From what Jamie suggested, I was just short of average."  
   
"From what I could feel last night, his definition of average means that Marie Curie's discoveries were on par with the ad guy who came up with the Lucky Charms song!" She looked at Paris seriously, just feeling so much for the girl, proud that for once she could be the one to give her some happiness. "I know you really hate to gloat and that you'd just think you're good in bed, that you'd much rather that passion goes into your schoolwork or how you edit the paper. But that back-and-forth we had last night as we talked, that subtle flirting and what followed after that, that amazing sex we weren't both expecting of all going into that evening." She took Paris's hand, a kinship beginning to bond them together. "It's not easy for me to say that there's a connection, ever. I've dated on and off for years, but I don't know that I've felt such a spark with any guy that I have with you over the last couple of weeks. Since that day I've doubted that I was right, and I was sure that the classroom was a one time thing. Just expending stress, going forward from there, having that one moment where the Tetris pieces connected in the right way and we had the line piece thingy fall into the hole." She shook her head, wondering why she came up with such odd analogies. "But it's clear that there's something between us. That, and you're really, really, as you said in your own words about me... 'fucking brilliant'."  
   
Paris felt an unexpected swelling in her stomach at Lorelai's speech. She was surprised to know that the woman also felt a building connection with her. "So...you agree with me?"  
   
"I think I do."  
   
"That you don't want to leave it here, and that you do want to explore this further."  
   
Sighing, Lorelai felt a bit guilty about what would soon be stopping them, yet looking into those deep eyes she knew that she was tired of not having somebody to comfort her. She was also sure that with Rory heading to Harvard, Paris was going to isolate herself wherever she attended, that she'd be scared of making a new best friend, only to have them brush her off for being too intense. But the lure was too strong. Paris was a wonderful young woman, someone she knew like her daughter would make a difference out in the world. She just needed that push of encouragement to think that she could be more than she thought she was.  
   
The solemn tone of her voice was unlike Lorelai, but when it came to a serious decision, she had to be dead-set on it to use it.  
   
"If I regretted this one bit, this would have been goodbye for us. But I can't do that. Not after last night." Lorelai moved her chair close to meet Paris eye-to-eye. "I'm...I know that you have your college search, getting your nanny settled in Boise, figuring out your majors in the way. I've got the inn and backpacking in Europe to worry about. And I know the last thing either of us want to be is a...a..."  
   
Paris completed the sentence. "Dirty little secret."  
   
"That, yes." Lorelai hated saying the words, the entire phrase filled with deceit and trouble. "I'm...sorry." 

However, the girl seemed to know what to say. "Don't be sorry. It's just the way things have to be for now, there's too much going on for us."  
   
"But I'm just afraid that this might be it, even though I want more. That by the time we get back--" She was interrupted by Paris softly leaning into her, drawing her into a slow buss that showed the warm passion the schoolgirl felt for the woman. She ran her fingers through her curled dark hair, and the way she touched the woman soothed her right back down.  
   
"Lorelai, I'm unsure about my college at this point, but I can be certain it won't be west of the Appalachians."  
   
"Paris, don't do that, I--"  
   
"I have to stay close to home, and not because of you. I feel like if I head to a Western university, I'll lose sight of who I am, who I want to be. I don't want to come back home and have lost all of my ideals because they aren't compatible with a sorority's. New England Is my home, and I want to stay because what if something happens to my family? If I end up at Cornell, fine, I can deal with that. But not at Stanford."  
   
"Rory said that you had an app in there though. Also at UCLA and Arizona State. She even said you were considering Nebraska."  
   
She sighed, feeling bitter at the girl for revealing her secrets. Frowning, she cleared things up. "That's because my adviser suggested I throw in some apps just in case. They are nowhere near my radar though. God, what does think I am, a cold bitch willing to abandon everybody? Is that how she really thinks of me? That because Harvard rejected me, I'm going to flip off the entire fucking Ivy League? I have family here, my life revolves around New England, I could never imagine leaving this area so I could go on some 'finding myself' bullshit journey." She began to cry, bringing Lorelai close to her. "Despite what she thinks, how unsettled I am about choosing a school, I have acceptance letters from schools that are within a 300 mile radius of the Manor. Those are the only schools I'm considering. I just want to make sure that when I choose, I'm of sound mind and body, not acting on emotion or anything. Which pretty much rules out anything within the 128."  
   
"Nothing in Boston, then."  
   
"It's too close. I can't be in a place where a school my heart was set on rejected me."  
   
"I can understand that, then." Lorelai wrapped around her, knowing that though Rory was pushing her friend away, she was willing to pull her in. "So, this is what you really want. You want to attempt to have something with me, the crazy old woman."  
   
"I do," Paris said with certainty. "Even if you are neither crazy, nor old." 

"You don't have to flatter me, Par," Lorelai said, curling her voice and smiling at her. "You are half my age and I can tell already you're going to age like a fine wine. The day you turn fifty you'll still look as beautiful as you did at sixteen."  
   
"Lorelai, have you been latently crushing on me?" She giggled at the idea that her bitter self at that age was sexy. "Come on, I looked horrible!"  
   
"Well, a few days after that thing where you watched me kiss Max, I had a dream. We had a three-way..." Paris reeled back.  
   
"Oh, no, no, no! Medina is so far from my type, never, ever would I consider him! I mean...why would he have a brick wall in his apartment? When you told me that...yuck! Your poor back!"  
   
"Let me finish. We had a three-way...for a minute or two. Then you overpowered him, he left and...I imagined you looking how you did in bed last night, and you were beautiful, daring, sexy. It was very odd, but I woke up and just thought 'wow, if only she was like that in real life'. Little did I know that's how you'd be last night."  
   
"So...you were prepared for this?" Paris smiled. "I guess I can tell you I've always thought of you like Anne Bancroft in _The Graduate_. You're beautiful, seductive, and independent. You have a daughter. And...you did try to seduce me, Ms. Gilmore." Lorelai shuddered as she used that Mrs. Robinson tone of voice. She nipped at Lorelai's lip and pulled away, the two women teasing each other mercilessly.  
   
"Par?" Lorelai's voice was a whisper.  
   
"Mm-hmm?" 

"You are truly the most stubborn and incorrigible girl I've ever met."  
   
"I better be, I'm the only girl you've ever really had," she proclaimed boastfully.  
   
"Please, get in the shower," Lorelai begged. "If we continue like this, I swear I might not be responsible for what I'll do next."  
   
"What would you do next?" Paris challenged.  
   
"Leave a hickey that you'll see. Even under the collar of your uniform." Paris rolled her eyes and got up, dizzy from the insinuation. She had a bruise on her shoulder, and a few love nips on her breasts already. She was marked and being so drove her crazy. Being in bed alone was going to be interesting for her over the next week, being able to trace each of the bites. Though she was glad to know her own love bites were all over Lorelai's breast and down her navel and lower.  
   
Jokingly she lobbed her new favorite nickname at the woman. "Bitch." After a goodbye kiss on her cheek, she then turned around to walk towards the bathroom, thankful that she was cooled down enough that she wouldn't touch herself while she cleansed. Lorelai grabbed the Sunday comics while ogling the girl as she walked towards the hallway to the bathroom. Peeking out as she opened the page up, she couldn't help but enjoy the view.  
   
"Tease," Lorelai said, and then proceeded to read the newest adventures of the inhabitants of _Apartment 3-G_ and try to figure out _Slylock Fox_ 's newest mystery, her mind still stuck on the girl. _I swear, she's a sparkplug_ , she thought, hoping they would meet one last time before she headed off to Europe.  


* * *

"Home, Henrico." Forty-five minutes later with much trepidation, the Gellar town car pulled out of the gravel driveway of the Gilmore home. Paris, who had been a total wreck when she got out fourteen hours before, was much more composed and calm in the eyes of her long time driver, and he was glad to finally let her know what happened to Jamie after he dropped her off.  
   
She loved the staff of her family, and how much they had her back. Speaking through the intercom, the driver let her know he made Jamie's night a living hell. "I told him to take a bus back up to the Manor to get his car."  
   
"Henrico!"  
   
"What, I dropped him off at a park and ride in Meriden! So he had to wait a half-hour, but I wanted to get home!"  
   
"But how did you get him out of the car?"  
   
"Simple...$20 a mile, you get to the Manor to pick up your car. I was so surprised he didn't take me up on my kind offer!"

"You're worse than a cab to LaGuardia. I'm disappointed in you, Hen!" Smiling, she offered her own solution. "Why not $50?" 

The kind driver laughed. "I should've just told him to hand me his AMEX. I'd take good care of it!"  
   
"My hero, the driver!" She was glad to be rid of her 'excess baggage' and rested against the door of the car, totally relaxed and refreshed. "His car wasn't very impressive to begin with. A Miata? Come on! I can't get that thing up to 120 in ten seconds like the 911."  
   
"I was wondering what you saw in him. He'd probably get behind the wheel of your baby and cry like one because he could never drive it like you do." Turning onto the expressway, they continued to talk about the night, with Henrico covering for her with her mother by saying Jamie treated her badly and she stayed overnight in a hotel. Paris shared as much as she could about Lorelai without broaching any of the intimate details and painted a glowing picture of the woman. Henrico was happy for her that she was able to get her frustrations out with somebody and noted she looked much less stressed than the night before.  
   
Tired, Paris prepared to take a little nap for the half hour drive back up to the Hartford Hills and turned off the intercom and put up the dark partition...  
   
Then her phone rang. Taking the little device from her bag, she flipped open the screen to see who was calling. Hitting the send button, she answered the phone...  
   
"You know," the voice at the other end said, "I've been all through my room and I can't find them!"  
   
"What's that, Ms. Gilmore? Sorry, we're heading into a tunnel, I have to call you back!"  
   
"Tunnel schmunnel! I'm sitting here in my bedroom and thinking 'you know, she tossed them somewhere and I know where they landed.' But no, I go to look there, and there's nothing. There's carpeting, my throw, that horrible book Michel pawned off to me to read about nine years ago I never gave back to him because, eh, why bother. But I didn't find them."  
   
"Find what?"  
   
"You know what!" She sighed. "It took me a half-hour to work for the money to buy them at Target and they made my ass look so adorable and gave me that 'oh wow, you're cute and wacky' reaction when I sleep with someone. At least I thought they would until you were all 'oh, you're a wonder woman, Lorelai Gilmore, you're inspiring, like Geraldine Ferraro or Hillary Clinton' and then you went down on me. And now I'm looking for them and I can't find them!" She directed a pout over the phone. "I'm actually cleaning my room! I haven't done that in six months but one trip over something and it's like I have to baby-proof myself from being taken out by a vindictive sparkly top."  
   
"So, what can't you find again?" Paris repeated. "I can't seem to recall taking anything of yours with me besides your clothes and a pair of slippers..." She reached in her purse, letting her fingers linger across a red, white, blue and yellow garment. "Oh, how did these get in here?"  
   
"What got in there?"  
   
"I have no idea; it's that I'm weirdly not willing to describe over a cellular phone line...Wonder Woman!" She felt downright evil...and she loved it.  
   
"Paris Eustachia Gellar! How dare you hold my panties for ransom!"  
   
"You still have mine, and you tore the ones I'm wearing!" Paris shot back. "You didn't seem willing to part with them."  
   
"And you still have my skirt! You now own an entire outfit of mine. What are going to do next, purchase a brunette wig, blue contacts and high heels while learn how to talk quick and witty and learn how to run an inn? I swear, if this is an effort to steal my identity--"  
   
"What, you'll tie me up using the Lasso of Truth?" Paris was really having fun with the woman. "It would be kind of useless though, but kind of kinky."  
   
"Oh God, I have my daughter coming home in fifteen minutes. I do not need to think of you all tied up. Geeze, you're giving me hot flashes here!"  
   
"But it gives you an excuse though. You can't get away from me, Lor. Your borrowing my clothes gives me an excuse to have you come over. Now we just need to justify a reason to do so."  
   
"I'm down on my knees right now--"  
   
"Wishing you could get me off?"  
   
"Damn, I walked right into that one." Lorelai groaned. "I mean gathering up my clothes."  
   
"Good, you'll be safer in there with your room clean."  
   
"Actually, I need something to take my mind off from you...with my panties...doing things with them...oh, heaven help me." 

"I am rubbing my fingers against them right now. They're soft and comfortable, like you are."  
   
"If I don't go to bed thinking of us you're going to be insulted. I can tell." She shook her head. "In all seriousness though, thank you for coming to me. It means so much to be respected in that way to give you advice. That's why I actually called."  
   
"You're welcome, Lorelai. I just feel so much better now that Jamie is out of my life. Like this is a fresh start. This year's been bad, but there's still another half of it to go, so it can still be saved."  
   
"I'll be there whenever you need someone to talk to," Lorelai assured as Paris looked out from the window. "I know how it is to have parents like yours, and that the staff isn't always enough. If there's anything you need, or want, you've got my cell."  
   
"I really appreciate that, Ms. Gilmore." She felt at ease, feeling a bit emotional. "Thank you for all you've done for me through this tough time. If you hadn't been there, I don't know where I'd be. Probably gloomy and dark."  
   
"That's how I felt when Chris dumped me, but I got over it. But I had to do it alone, without help. I didn't want to talk about it with anyone here so I just sucked it all in, and it was a horrible feeling to have. I had a kid...you have college and a whole five-generation thing to leap over to define yourself. You're going to need so much support, and you shouldn't have to go through it alone. Or with the Gruesome Twosome."  
   
"Would you believe the girls want me to just suck it up and attend UConn?"  
   
"No, I don't believe that. I thought they wanted you to go to a beauty school."  
   
"That was their second choice, before 'marrrying an old Pfizer exec and living off his money.'"  
   
"Eww. You with an old man, not a good thought."  
   
"Oh, so you as an old lady would rather I stay with the likes of you?"  
   
"Paris, dear, I am not an 'old lady'. I'm what you would call, 'blissfully aging well.'"  
   
"Or blissfully in denial," she off-handed. "I don't see many women in the PTO thinking they can wear Wonder Woman panties."  
   
"I have told you I have no shame, right?"  
   
"Many, many times. Somehow I'm glad that you don't, it would turn you boring."  
   
"No, see, if I had some shame, I'd still wear things like Hello Kitty and Scooby Doo, I'd just be making sure I'd be wearing baggy stuff beneath it to counterbalance the shame with the want to dress that way."  
   
"So we've established you've dressed as a flirt," Paris stated. "How do I dress then?"  
   
"Simple and sexy," Lorelai responded. "You tease more with your words than anything else. It's devious though, because you hide your Venus-like body behind all those uniforms and turtlenecks. Once that's off, you're almost impossible to resist."  
   
The girl blushed, sliding down as far as she could, unbelieving of her lover's words. "Ms. Gilmore, I'm not like that, at all. Don't compare me to someone like that, please."  
   
"It's the truth, though. I see your friends and it's like you're the hidden jewel in the group. So shy and self-conscious, but yet when I get you in the right spot, you're no lamb at all. You're a downright lioness."  
   
"You're just saying that--"  
   
"It's like RAWWWR!! Last night you came onto me all cool, collected, wanting to massage my ankle. A half-hour later I'm all scraped up and sore, in a lovely way. You are, as my staff described about certain guests who were loud at the Inn and required earplug handouts to other guests, one bed-pounding hot mama!"  
   
"That's so uneducated!"  
   
"What, I can't censor my co-workers!"  
   
"But it's flattering." She giggled. "And you were good...for someone twice my age."  
   
"What if I was your age?"  
   
"You'd kill me because we'd still be in your bedroom without any sleep."  
   
"Damned straight. Get used to it, I'm a sex freak."  
   
"Not for the next week," Paris moaned disappointedly. "Exams starting at 8am sharp and going to Thursday, then six days of rehearsals, award ceremonies, scholarship collections and meetings, parties with the family and other students. By the time I get to graduation on Wednesday I'll be glad when I can sit down and scream in relief that it's all done."  
   
Lorelai felt for the girl, and made her an offer. "Do you need me to call? I'm sure I could make a few through the week."  
   
"If you want to. I could use the boost at times. Just, we'd have to plan carefully. Not while Rory's around, not while my parents or Madeline and Louise are with me."  
   
"That's why we have voice mail. If I can't talk, I can leave messages."  
   
"Good thinking." She curled up on the seat, feeling the need for a nap. "Also don't be shy about texts. Need something to keep me sane."  
   
"You're just looking for an excuse to use the vibrate function."  
   
Paris's throat caught in shock. "I am not! It's not even that powerful!"  
   
"They actually have jelly things where you put the phone in one end and then you put one end up your--"  
   
Paris rushed to interrupt her, beyond embarrassed. "Ms. Gilmore, may I remind you that I'm in your sweatpants, sitting on Italian leather that cost $4,000 to upholster. I would rather remain dry for the remainder of my ride."  
   
"Fine, fine. I'll let you go shortly without any more teasing. Although I should because you're holding my clothes hostage."  
   
"Do you really want to come by and have tea with my mother in order to get them back?" 

The girl had a point, she had to stay incognito, and she'd rather have Rory just assume it was a quiet night at home. "Fine, you can have them for now. But don't stretch my shirt out."  
   
"I won't."  
   
"I know you won't, because I'll have a microscope with me when you bring them back to make sure."  
   
"Geeze, it's not like I'm lugging a triple size under my bra. The shirt is 2XL, it'll be fine."  
   
"You never know, the next time I see you, those things might have grown above D and into E."  
   
"Oh God, I am not going to talk about my teenage development with you over the phone. I've been that big since I was fifteen; they haven't changed since then. Seriously."  
   
"I'm just joshing. A joke, Par. You know, funny ha-ha."  
   
"I know." Paris smiled, getting ready to let her go. "I'll treat your clothes like they were my own and you'll have them back in perfect condition."  
   
"Thank you."  
   
But she sprung a surprise on the woman. "But I keep the panties."  
   
"Paris!"  
   
"You do owe me. Twice."  
   
"Fine, you win." She shook her head, smiling at the girl's soft nervous laughter. "Bye-bye, Venus. Have a great week. Talk to you soon." 

"I like the name, it fits me, strangely enough." Her voice was light as she signed off. "Talk to you later, Wonder Woman."  
   
"Bye."  
   
"Goodbye." 

Closing the phone, Paris felt at her most serene since the day student government began and Francie conspired against her back. In one week she would just have to worry about choosing her college, and her summer was completely open. No Jamie, no beach house, and best of all, no being stuck in a university south of Trenton featuring mob movie rejects. _Life is good_ , she thought, putting the phone back in her bag.  
   
She thought once again about everything that happened, the discussions, how she worked it out, and how her 'one time thing' was becoming much more than that. She wasn't thinking of the word 'complicated' at all, knowing for now they could both break apart without much of a consequence. She also wasn't ready to define herself under a label. For now, she was still Paris, possible Chilton valedictorian, not a lesbian. Her thoughts had always wandered towards more respect and admiration for the opposite sex, but since Lorelai was truly her first female crush, she had to know before she could know that she was either an "L" or a "B".  
   
For now though, her focus would go back to exams, and the comfort of the woman in Stars Hollow when she needed it the most. _Maybe this is the start of something. Or maybe not. But if it is, I'm ready for the journey. The Hartford skyline in the distance, Paris prepared for what she thought would be the most interesting two weeks of her life. It was going to be a fight to the finish, but whatever happened, she knew one thing; she was now calm and collected, and Lorelai pushed her eyes back on the prize.  
   
_Rory, prepare for war_ , she thought, ready to teach the girl that she may have let her guard down with her mother, but the v-slot was still up for grabs.  
_

* * *

Meanwhile, Rory walked into the living room, seeing her mother watching one of the 129 HGTV decorating show clones, totally zoned out and bored. She was glad to see her again, although her night with Jess, she wondered if she put her mom to shame.  
   
"Hey mom, how was your night?" Looking up from the couch, Lorelai responded to her.  
   
"It was kind of quiet, boring, dull." Not noticed by the younger Gilmore was the bright pinkish glow along her cheeks, and the cheerful tone of her voice. "Paris came over, she dumped Jamie, I told her it wasn't the end of the world, she slept on the couch and left. Pretty much what you'd expect for her."  
   
"I'll have to talk to her tomorrow," she said.  
   
"Actually, I'd stay out of her way," the mother warned. "She doesn't really want to talk about it."  
   
"Oh. Well, I guess if she just wants to forget it."  
   
"She does, definitely." Rory plopped next to her mother and began to talk about her night with Jess, in lessened detail.  
   
Not that it mattered to Lorelai. She knew exactly what Rory would say, so she paid little attention and recalled her night with Paris in her imagination, not saying a word and able to ignore the details of her daughter's seemingly hot (but from the details given, quite boring) evening.  
   
 _I'm not forgetting this_ , she told herself as she recalled Paris's flirting before they kissed again. _I may have the smart one, but Paris, you're definitely the sensual one_. Her smile never left her face through all of Rory's words, a reflection of the peace she felt after another night with her favorite new little bitter blonde. She also decided that Bananarama song about Venus was kind of awesome.  


* * *

_**_ To be continued... _ ** _  



	3. Partings & Commitments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saying goodbye can actually be quite fun, and Lorelai and Paris prove it through a fun night in Gellar Manor.

**Title: The Innkeeper's Lover | Chapter Three | Partings & Commitments  
Author: **Nate  
 **Pairing:** Paris/Lorelai, 3rd person POV  
 **Spoilers:** Nothing really spoiled besides _Those Are Strings, Pinocchio_. Again in this story, Lorelai bid on the Dragonfly the day after graduation instead of during it, Rory is going to Harvard, Jess to Boston College and both are together, while Luke is a non-factor within this world.  
 **Rating:** NC-17 (very heavy sexual situations, profanity, anal fingering, concealed exhibitionism, disrespect of parents, skinny dipping, and no shame in trying to find my own twist on getting the ladies into a wet situation...twice. Come on, it had to be done :-P!)  
 **Disclaimer:** If I would say I owned _Gilmore Girls_ , Amy-Sherman Palladino/Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions, Hofflund-Polone and Warner Bros. Television would have something to say about it. When they sue me. Which is why I tell you I don't. So we're hopefully all disclaimed; all the programs, networks, universities and products mentioned within are the property and trademarks of their respective owners, and no disrespect is meant or implied.  
 **Archiving:** GilmoreGirlsSlash, RalSt, and aff.net. You will **not** find this on fanfiction.net; I feel it is way too explicit to meet that site's TOS. Everyone else, ask before archiving.  
 **Summary:** Saying goodbye can actually be quite fun, and Lorelai and Paris prove it through a fun night in Gellar Manor.  
 **Author's** **Notes:** I don't think there's any way to say it, but I'm sorry if I kept you waiting so long when it came to this chapter. I know I say I write it between _Longing_ sessions, but still it's no excuse and I'm hoping the next chapter comes out in much less time. When I read I spent 58 days writing and editing this (mind you, that's just with the document open; I didn't spend literally 58 days writing it), that sort of tells you something. Hopefully the length of this chapter will more than make up for the time I've spent writing this.  
   
I also have to apologize, but the reason this is coming out on Christmas is because I have epically failed to deliver on my holiday drabble challenge. Not a word. I blame the most stressful holiday season I've ever had, where if I wasn't at work, I was either shopping or having to escape the bad karaoke singer the mall hired instead of their traditional gift wrappers. Which meant I had to wrap gifts. All by myself. I make kindergarteners look good.  
   
Thank you to Danielle for as always being ever-patient with me, and being there when I was ready to give up on writing in general out of frustration. It isn't easy writing stories which are sometimes ignored for lesser work, but her confidence in me helps me keep writing when I'm at my lowest moment. I also thank Dragonwine, a writer in the _Devil Wears Prada_ fandom for his kind words about my stories. I recommend that if you haven't read his _Lesson Learned_ series yet, that you read it as soon as you can. It's just incredibly brilliant. Finally, Marieke, the #1 LorPar fan, whose collab fic got me to get this out.  
   
This story is unbetaed, but I have done my best to correct any mistakes. If you find any, please let me know.  
   
And with that, it's time to come back to the world of LorPar and how they fell in love...  


* * *

 ** 12:45pm, Oakenwood Country Club, Clubhouse Dining Room  
**_  
Why did I agree to do this? On such a beautiful day outside two days after the happiest moment of my life and a day after the second happiest, did I agree to come here and have lunch here? Why oh why? I mean yes, I get out of dinner tonight, so that's a side benefit, but I have to spend two hours, alone, with her, here? I never liked this place, too stuffy and boring, and her friends have that fake sincerity that grates on my nerves--  
   
_"Lorelai!" A sharp voice rang through her ears, blocking her thoughts out suddenly. Lorelai looked up from her plate of something she didn't remember the name of to see her mother staring at her disapprovingly. Not responding back to her, Lorelai wanted to go back to her thoughts, but Emily was going to milk the last two hours she had with her daughter before her Europe trip as much as she could.  
   
"I understand you're distracted by your plans for the inn, but when you have lunch with me, I expect to have a conversation. You think there's such a thing as a free lunch, but there isn't. I expect you to appraise me on your life and for you to listen to me."  
   
"Mom, I am," she argued. "But I've been run ragged all week. I haven't even slept very well at all."  
   
"Whose fault is that then? You need to plan your time better than you have lately..."  
   
 _And here we go again._ Lorelai went on autopilot as her tired body attempted relaxation in the stiff back chair as Emily berated her for not taking her charitable offer of money to purchase the Dragonfly, or for her father's help in order to secure the building. Never mind that her bid of $61,386.23 was just enough to outbid a real estate speculator and a developer looking to put a Taco Bell/Pizza Hut/KFC/Exxon station on the land day the before at Waterbury courthouse. The bidding had taken a half-hour to complete, the documentation three hours before the deed was given to her. Lorelai wished it was all over, but had come to the Oakenwood Country Club straight from Stars Hollow Town Hall. Two early morning hours in the register of deeds and building permits offices were not the woman's idea of fun.  
   
To Lorelai, exhausted hardly met how she described her mood. Squeezed out, drained, ready to collapse; it would take many adjectives to define her at that exact moment. Since Monday morning she had helped alter her daughter's gown to fit, listened to Rory rehearse her graduation speech over and over, planned the graduation party that followed the ceremony, and in between got in everything involving the Inn so that on Tuesday morning they could get on the flight to Munich from Logan. She was cursing that she had to backpack now, for all she wanted was to lay down for three weeks straight and not have to lift a finger.  
   
But she still had to get through lunch with her mother. Easier said than done, as the older woman made it known that even with the purchase of her dream and the successful push of her granddaughter through fourteen years of schooling that the 'nightmare' that began when the plus sign appeared still hadn't ended in her mind view. Questions about the kinds of employees she'd hire, contractors, imploring her to take advice from that 'kind Clark Howard fellow on the radio' or that she might want to put the inn into a protected trust. Where Lorelai tried to enjoy her food, it was next to impossible as Emily then drifted into the disappointment she still felt about Rory going to Harvard rather than the Gilmore alma mater. _When will it end,_ she wondered, with an hour yet to go.  
   
She felt stuck, really wanting to run away from her responsibilities. Her feet hurt like hell, while her usually clear blue eyes took on a dimmer shade, and her hair had to be a mess. She could usually do so many things so easily, but whether it was the June heat or the timing, nothing was working out for her.  
   
Lorelai went on to have an almost civil conversation with Emily, while holding her tongue whenever one of the woman's friends came upon them. Back-handed compliments about her and Rory were thrown at her, congratulations that she had a valedictorian daughter buffeted by surprise that she would be the one to have the valedictorian. How she wanted to go off on them, but she didn't want to leave Connecticut with all of her bridges burned. The sparkling water she drank had a metallic taste to it and she couldn't wait to get home...  
   
Where she wouldn't be able to stay, since Rory needed to go shopping for backpacking supplies and other items at an outdoors store. Her bed seemed farther and farther from her with each and every minute that passed.  
   
Paris also seemed to be all the way on the Oregon coast within Lorelai's mind too.  
   
She hated herself for having to maintain a wide berth with the girl that two weeks before had made her feel young and appreciated again. Since that Saturday night and Sunday morning they had kept their distance, not from any regret over the comfort they gave each other, but everything happening outside of the intimate circle they managed to build beneath Rory's nose. The lust she had for the blonde was still as strong as ever, the yearning she had for Paris continuing to build with texts and voicemails exchanged between the two through the exam week. Hiding Par's number beneath a gobbledygook name she was able to keep a dialogue going, one that seemed strong through the week, but had come to a halt on Sunday evening as preparations for graduation kicked into high gear.  
   
The pleasure of hearing S-M-S in Morse code was replaced with the agony of 'No new messages' appearing on her screen. The closest she came to the girl, on Wednesday at graduation, when in the public venue she was reduced to giving a friendly hug and words of encouragement when she just wanted to sweep the young woman into her arms, the beauty of her within her cap and gown so overwhelming to her and showing that truly, the formerly awkward girl was starting to come into her own in the world.  
   
Windows into that world from Rory were shut down coldly with 'I don't want to talk about her' or 'I really don't care.' Lorelai was surprised to see how non-chalant Rory was about the pain her friend went through breaking up with Jamie, too buried in her relationship with Jess to take a moment to see that not all love stories were happy. There was some talk a couple nights before, until exams had totally buried every topic as it was every girl for herself.

Worst of all for her, were the dreams. Sexual dreams that were vivid and exploratory, touching on themes brought up as the women texted and voice mailed each other, and never seemed to stop. If Lorelai thought the twins dream with Luke was the limit of odd dreams to be interpreted, how could she explain one where her and Paris were living in her house together as a couple, with Luke as a sperm donor as they crossed their fingers for the little white test to have a line on it? She had kept it to herself and brushed it off as an extreme anomaly.  
   
Yet, they kept coming, like clockwork. Paris's light scent in her mind, mixed with her pheromones as they both took turns either seducing each other in Lorelai's dreams or in one instance, the brunette ended up rethinking that first project where Paris came over and she gave her ticket up for the Bangles, having Sookie drive the girls to New York and inviting a disinterested-in-80's-pop Paris to stay, where an instant attraction built up between them, ending up with them making love on a pile of trash bags and old stuffed animals.  
   
Her mind was stuck on the girl, and she couldn't figure out why. Even in her mind during auction bidding, that authoritative voice was there, telling her to bid that extra dollar she needed to outdo the next person, and she kept doing it, annoying the speculator right out of the auction. She knew to herself without Paris's advice she might be filing an application with some out-of-town inn to be an assistant manager instead of owning her own building.  
   
The time passed, and so did the second and third courses, Emily suggesting attractions in Europe to see that were far off her path. Dessert came and she attempted to order a cheesecake, but an offhand that she was putting on weight by her mother convinced her to order a small slice of torte instead. She wished she could rush through eating it, but then the inevitable table manners lecture would come her way. Lorelai just wanted to be out of there as soon as she could, so she ate in tiny bites, mouth closed and without her elbows on the table. She suffered through the final topic of having them as an emergency contact despite her already letting Babbette know she was the contact, and had to apologize to the regal woman for the slight despite the fact it helped that if she had to call someone from Europe, her next-door neighbor could probably help much more than someone on vacation. It wasn't as if she was fully shutting her mother out, but she was going to be in the Vineyard for the summer, which was less convenient than the mainland.  
   
Finally, 1:30. _Sweet freedom!_ Lorelai was giddy to leave, to at least get a two hour nap.  
   
"Well, it's been nice, Mom, but I have to get going," she said in a rush, offering a weak hug. "We will see each other again in August."  
   
"You will call every third day," Emily commanded. "If I can help it, you and Rory will not join a random band of criminals in eastern France or become Gypsies." Lorelai tried to argue that she didn't have the ability to call, but the older woman had none of it.  
   
"You can put a pre-paid SIM card in your cell phone," she reminded her daughter. "No need to grab a germ-filled payphone."  
   
"But we have Verizon. There's no card slot!"  
   
"Nonsense. Pick up a cheap Nokia in a duty-free shop. They're only about $35 and the cards are reasonably priced. I will not lose contact with you or Rory. What if one of her contacts at the school wants to get a hold of her?"  
   
 _Damn it!!_ She hated this, hijacking her trip with her daughter. She was going to Europe to get away from everyone, especially her mother. "Fine, whatever. I'll email the number I get the first day, Mom!"  
   
"Thank you, Lorelai." Smiling, she began to turn away. "Have a nice summer."  
   
"You too, Mom." Lorelai watched her turn and whispered under her breath. "Hope you get a horrible sunburn on the 2nd of July." Grumbling, she grabbed her purse, laid a $10 bill on the table for the tip, pushed in her chair and walked away, stewing that she let her mother get to her once again. "I don't want to carry a phone for them. Damn it, you think you get away and then they snare you back in." She didn't look at the clerk at the front desk of the dining room and walked out into the main hallway, which went between the social building of the club and the other building, which contained the clubhouse, lap pool, and locker rooms. She was glad she didn't have to follow her mother out to the parking lot, and was already picturing the cool pillow of her bed for a three hour nap she craved and wanted before the mall trip with her daughter. Lorelai dragged her feet along the carpet as she walked, her stride unusually less than relaxed as she tried to forget the past two hours. She hoped she could leave quickly, worn out and run down...  
   
But as she looked up to find her way towards the exit, she came to a sudden halt. Suddenly she was finding her eyes, instead of looking at the door out, trained towards that of a certain girl she hadn't expect to see at all.  
   
She gasped out her name. "Paris?" Shaking her head, she tried to rationalize that the woman wasn't her. After all, Paris's hair wasn't often in pigtails, and she certainly didn't play racquet sports, as the crisp white tennis outfit suggested she was doing while she was at the club. She hoped to turn away before the other girl would notice, but even with 35 feet dividing them, Lorelai's panic, along with the echo chamber of the hallway, was well heard by the attentive teenager. She turned around, and her eyes immediately lit up at the familiar sight.  
   
"Ms. Gilmore," she said in restrained excitement, pushing up her duffel bag. "Strange meeting you here." She strode towards Lorelai, a lift to her step as her day brightened upon seeing the now former Chilton mother.  
   
"Uh, hey, Paris." Meanwhile, Lorelai wanted to slink out. She had no idea how to behave in a public setting like that, especially when she felt herself get weak at just the sound of the girl's voice, her pulse quickening. Brushing her hair back, she tried to keep her focus on Paris's face. "What are you doing here yourself? Um, you don't seem...the sporting type."  
   
"Not usually, no. But I enjoy tennis. Keeps my mother off my back about wasting away my country club membership and gives me a good outlet to let out stress. If the club assigns me a partner, all the better because they usually can't catch up to me."  
   
"Well, I feel bad now," Lorelai said, "I had to miss you eviscerate your opponent." She chuckled nervously, remembering how much she hated society small talk. She redirected towards the reason she visited the club. "I'm here for my mother; we just had lunch together."

Surprisingly, Paris could sympathize with her. "You sound like I am after I have to share a meal with my maternal grandmother. Wasn't fun?"  
   
"Being a size nine squeezing into size two jeans is fun. I felt like the entire Spanish Inquisition reincarnated within my mother's body." She shook her head, feeling a bit more comfortable. "I get out of dinner at least tonight. Though I wish I could relax, Rory needs to go shopping."  
   
"Really, you have a Friday night free?" The ladies moved into the hallway leading into the locker room, with Lorelai following unconsciously. "After so much time running around, you need a break."  
   
Shaking her head, she tried to rationalize putting others ahead of herself.  "I don't. Rory wants to go shopping for supplies. I'm trying to beg out of it because I've been on my feet for the last few days." She sighed, feeling so stressed. "I love her and all, but I just want some time to myself before we leave for Europe."

"I know what you mean," Paris said, empathizing with Lorelai. "I'm so sorry I haven't been able to talk lately. It's just been so busy at the Manor, the speeches, packing by my mother to go off with her guy for the summer to the Virgin Islands, college. I have so much to talk to you about, but I'm afraid we won't be able to find a moment."  
   
On the other side of the conversation, the innkeeper could have swore she heard Paris's voice become shaky, as if she was disappointed that they couldn't find another moment together. At the entrance of the locker room, she suddenly felt a pang of hurt towards the girl. She had something to share, but had to keep it in.  
   
 _For how long though?_ She wondered to herself. Bringing her gaze up, she had avoided looking at the blonde as much as she could, trying to hide in public how she felt for her. _Maybe if I look at her now, the feelings will decrease. She might not be thinking of me sexually at all anymore, who knows? The news might be she has a new boyfriend.  
   
_When she looked directly at her, however, it was obvious that the girl could only think about her. All of Paris's attention was concentrated on the brunette, and Lorelai could see sense she was biting her tongue to hold back an untoward thought. Her cheeks were warmed, while her hand barely held the covered tennis racket at the handle. Paris's eyes were scanning Lorelai, from the dark navy jacket she wore and the matching skirt, to the pink silk blouse beneath, and all the way down her legs, which rested upon tall black heels which were barely keeping the older woman upright from all the stress in her life. Internally, Paris's body temperature was rising as she found her thoughts for her Wonder Woman return anew.  
   
Lorelai rubbed her fingers together nervously, trying to push aside the tension between them. "You're...you're not busy this weekend?"  
   
Paris nodded. "I don't really have any free time besides tonight and Saturday, actually. I have to help Louise firm up her commitment to Tulane, and next week I begin my Rebuilding Together project for the summer. This year, they trust me to be a foreman, putting up the walls and doing electrical."

"So, you have nothing tonight, then?" Lorelai began to lose focus. "What do you have planned?"  
   
"Not much. Mother is in New York for the weekend to be eye candy for her beau during the Yankees/Mets series at Shea, Daddy is in Mumbai, and the staff in the Manor except for a couple of maids is on vacation for the next week. I'm thinking of maybe taking advantage of the time alone and watching a couple films in the home theater, swimming, or reading. I don't know exactly what yet, but whatever it is, I'm not going to stress over things, at least for tonight."  
   
"You have plenty of stuff to do then to have fun, right?"  
   
"I suppose. I could even take my 911 for a spin down to the coast, but every Tom, Dick and Harry at Chilton and Hillside has that planned." She felt a bit shy sharing her plans, and unnerved by how warm she was getting from the proximity of her newly found older friend. "I spent yesterday being nostalgic, going through all the things I've saved, old homework, essays, drawings. Everything since preschool, my father put in the attic. I just want to look towards the future for now."  
   
"Well, I hope you have fun, whatever it is," Lorelai said, her heart hammering as she took in the petite woman in virgin white as she dropped her duffel bag onto the bench below. She was nervous, trying to tell herself that the idea of Paris in sporting attire which brought out her curves full force was nothing to get so turned on over. _She'd probably think I was incredibly rude_ , she thought to herself, trying to strangle thoughts about how the V of the shirt Paris wore was immediately going into her dream arsenal as something that definitely looked hot on her, but would be even better on the floor. She shook herself mentally for falling back into lust so fast. Her eyes glazed over as the blonde took her in tentatively, wondering if the woman had caught on to her opening.  
   
Pursing her lips together, she lightly pinned Lorelai against a locker, keeping her arms loose so that she had the comfort that she could leave the grasp anytime.  
   
Still, the action startled the other woman a bit, and she felt her heart hammer at the subtle dominance of the situation. "Paris, what are you doing?"  
   
Her monotone was strong, full of a suggestive bite. "Ms. Gilmore, does Rory really need you tonight?"  
   
"I'm sure she does."  
   
"She might have before Wednesday, but not anymore. With that Prius now in her possession, she can go wherever she wants, and you don't have to wait for her to come out of some film you find boring, or go to the bookstore when you want Dunkin Donuts." She began to lay the trail of crumbs, her left hand grasping onto Lorelai's wrist. "I really have so much to share with you, details that can't wait until you come back in August. It would be terrible if we didn't get together again, because I'd rather share it with you, my station of sanity." She smiled at the woman, watching her transfixed by how assertive she was, and how the girl wanted to be with Jamie was instead being pushed out by her. Her cheeks reddened by the attention the young woman was giving her.

"So what you want me to do," Lorelai said softly, "is relax tonight? With you?"  
   
Paris nodded her head. "I really do need some time with you. Rory can live for one night."  
   
"But how am I going to get out of going to REI with her?"  
   
"I wish I could find an excuse for you. But you know, that inn does come in handy now. Congratulations on your successful purchase, by the way."  
   
"How did you hear?"  
   
"Internet. The county keeps their courthouse sale records on their site and I checked before I left this morning." She dipped her fingers into the cuff of Lorelai's jacket. "I promise you I do have a good reason to invite you over. I'm afraid if I tell Rory what's on my mind, she'll tune me right out."

Lorelai still felt a bit unsure, but was falling into the rhythm of the building conversation. "I'm sure you might have good news."  
   
"Not disappointed here." She began to pull away from the woman, a rush of blood flowing through the newly graduated girl as she took in the curves of her tall counterpart, still visible through the suit. "If you absolutely can get out of it, I'll expect you there by seven. I'm sure you know where I live."  
   
"I do? But I wanted the cute little flyer on yellow paper with the little map on it." She laughed at her own joke as Paris just gave her a head-shake. "And if I can come?"  
   
Suddenly, she was taken aback as Paris perched up on tip-toe and gave her a quick kiss, flitting her tongue across the brunette's plump lips. The panic that someone would walk in on them quickly flared in Lorelai's heart, but she couldn't panic, for she was stone still, taken aback by how the other woman was pushing the limits.  
   
Pulling away, Paris tucked some hair behind her ear and gave Lorelai one more once-over as she prepared to head for the shower, opening the combo lock on her locker to begin to throw her things in until she was done. She said nothing at all as she lifted the shirt over her head, turning the moment into a long and pregnant pause while she let the kiss fray Lorelai's synapses. _I'm going to make her make her realize that Max and her daughter's education weren't the best things to come out of this school,_ she evilly thought to herself, having thirteen days to plan her next move with the woman after throwing caution to the wind that Saturday evening. She turned around, letting her shirt fall onto a hook in the locker, while facing Lorelai with a lustful look that belied that the schoolgirl she had made love to only days before was no longer defined by that term at all.  
   
Her gaze was struck with Lorelai's deep blues stuck on her white sports bra and trailing down her stomach, down towards the thin fingers grasping the locker door. She felt comfortable eyeing her up even if her moral center was screaming for her to look away. Interacting with only gestures and hinting, the silence became broken by the girl bringing Lorelai out of the lust-filled chasm, only to throw her right back in.  
   
"The question isn't if you can come..." She paused for emphasis, gathering a towel, shampoo and body wash from the locker and shutting it. She turned to look at the woman one last time. "It's how you'll come."  
   
Lorelai almost felt herself faint, unbelieving that this was Paris that would say these things. She pulled away from the woman's personal space, but not before Paris closed things out.  
   
"Remember, 7 o'clock, and dress casually." Turning around abruptly, she smiled to herself as she felt the skirt twist around her counter-clockwise, just enough to spin up a few inches and give the older woman a short, but perfect glance at her apple-shaped backside. _Oh, am I ever glad I decided to go with the Wimbledon whites today_ , she thought as she heard the woman take in a deep and audible breath. Carelessly tossing a towel from the clean pile onto her shoulder, she enjoyed knowing Lorelai was watching her and barely containing the fight or flight response of pushing her against the wall as she turned the corner.  
   
Meanwhile, Lorelai found herself dizzy, thinking of how two weeks ago Paris was so shy about her sexuality. But around her, she was becoming such a minx. Watching as she turned the corner, she shook her head and adjusted her skirt, trying to come off as the mature woman she thought she was.  
   
But what she felt between her legs suggested otherwise. Stumbling out of the locker room, her heart still beat fast as the rush of the hanging flirt went all the way through her. Having to watch Paris walk away from her, she still couldn't believe that the uptight blonde was the one taking her towards the other side of her sexuality. She always thought to herself that someone completely different, a 'knockout' woman would bring her around.  
   
Paris, though? Even so many days after giving into her urges in that classroom, Lorelai was still flummoxed about why she was attracted to Paris beyond her subtle surface beauty.  
   
 _Maybe...it has to do with that control element. I think so._ Heading to the parking lot, she mentally tried to explain the relationship to herself. _But then again, she also doesn't mind control coming from me. We both have this sense of routine, and being together throws that all out the window. She's also so voracious, willing to learn, and I can't seem to stop her curiosity. We didn't really breach that last time, but...  
   
_She stopped herself about 100 feet from the Jeep, stunned by the track her train of thought was running on.  
   
"Wait, last time?" She closed her eyes, trying to make sense of how she referred to the relationship. Her voice was at a whisper so no one heard, but she couldn't believe herself. Lorelai felt overwhelmed suddenly, the same feeling she had when she thought Max would give her plenty of last times and next times.  
   
Only this time, the feelings were stronger, but she felt more uncomfortable. Her heart pumped faster and she felt a blood rush as she pictured herself and the other woman sharing their time in bed two weeks before, the comfort and familiarity that she seemed to be unable to find so strong with Paris. She remembered that all through the night, she didn't feel uncomfortable at all, or odd. Lulled into calm after the storm of telling Paris her world wasn't over and then seeing her show that she knew the second chance was an error in judgment, there had never been that sense with anyone else.  
   
Getting into the car, she continued to think, of her past and the regrets that she had. Of how she loved Christopher and Max, but she couldn't give her heart away, scared she would become like her mother, cold and unloving once her spouse molded her into being a proper wife and mother. She prided herself on never getting to the step of having to call in a TV nanny to take care of her child, and that her time receiving WIC aid was thankfully short. Always afraid to show too much of herself, she hid herself behind a façade of quips and non sequiturs to misdirect anyone who wanted to know the real Lorelai Gilmore, the one who still to this day doubted herself deep within her soul that she was doing right.  
   
Starting up the vehicle, she settled herself into the seat, the words of Paris still resonating with her. _She's interested in me, and I'm interested in her. I want this, even though everything else is telling me I shouldn't._ Slipping off her blazer, it was then she realized the full force of how Paris was getting to her.  
   
She turned her focus to the road in front of her and drove out of the parking lot, trying to stop herself from imagining Paris in the shower in the clubhouse. Her body was tight and on edge with her bra feeling tight, and she had to rest her left foot on the hood latch to prevent the temptation of rubbing her thighs together after holding herself back for so many days without indulging in herself.  
   
Eventually she decided as she entered onto Route 93 that she would go, Rory be damned. _I need this_ , she thought. _I know it's so wrong, so forbidden. But, God, I can't imagine her sitting there alone at 11pm tonight watching the History Channel, pissed off at me because I went shopping, something I can easily do tomorrow. If just for my sanity, I need time away from the town, from the Inn...from everything.  
   
_She let a slow breath draw from her mouth, feeling the calm she had the day after return for the first time in a week or so. The middle-age woman knew she was playing with fire, going into a situation with this girl all alone and hoping the spark of their last two meetings was still strong. But if she knew herself, and she knew Paris, they both lived on having a challenge.  
   
Biting on her lip, she pressed the gas pedal so the speedometer went just a smidge over 75, finding a smile inch onto her lips as she found her clarity, and the perfect way to let Rory go for the night.  
   
"I'm not going to think of this as a date," she said, determined. "Just two women, talking and commiserating about their lives, that's all. Like we did that Saturday night. Nothing big. No biiig deal at allll."  
   
As she finished her words to herself, she couldn't resist pushing her legs together, the warmth that used to have to be induced by her own thoughts between them, now instead caused by a petite Jewish girl with a firecracker temper which had cooled down within her arms. Smiling, Lorelai let herself go, keeping her concentration on the road, yet remembered the rumble of the engine coasting into her seat was a very small, yet important reason she went with the Jeep.  
   
"Of course if things wander off like they did the last time, you won't see me complaining." The innkeeper drove down the 93, readying herself for the upcoming night and already having the perfect excuse to let her pursue her current happiness.  


* * *

 ** 7:00pm, Gellar Manor  
   
**Anyone could usually surmise that Paris Gellar was always cool under pressure, no matter what was thrown at her over the years at Chilton, be it at a debate, on the paper, or in the classroom and in her studies. She got off on a last-second plan, and her quick mind served her well so many times over the years. So many times she had averted a certain and expected F into a strong A, and everyone knew if they needed someone who had herself together and would give them all the help and drive that they needed, it would be her.  
   
But getting ready for a 'chat session' with only five hours notice? Not something she was used to by any means.  
   
She kept calling it by that title in her head, despite how she had behaved within that locker room to Lorelai only hours before. Driving home, Paris came to the conclusion that she might have come on too strong, and that the other woman was turned off by not only how she came off to her, but the way she pretty much commanded her to come over.  
   
 _I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't now_. She prepared for it, ordering three pizzas from the local parlor and trying to find a perfect movie that didn't have a Discovery Channel logo on the spine. She went with _The Princess Bride_ , a choice that she would never usually make as she hated fantasy movies, but she also hated spending more time at Blockbuster than humanly possible, as her curt 'I'm here to rent a movie, not become a data mine for your corporate office' response showed when they asked her to join a loyalty card club at the checkout.  
   
There she sat in the dark room in an isolated corner of the mansion, ready to face up to her feelings, which had only built further for the last two weeks as exams and graduation finally passed, freeing her from the scandal of having sex with a Chilton mother. Now she was just a regular mother, although still her best friend's mother. She vacantly read a _Newsweek_ waiting for the minutes to tick down until Peter Jennings' smooth Canadian delivery of the world that day lead into the screaming terror that was Mary Hart's voice blaring about Anna Nicole...again.

She clenched one of her fists in, rubbing it from the inside, trying to build her confidence up. _This is right, this is right. She didn't say no, and she hasn't left a message saying this is off. It has to work out._ She felt as if the entire world was rooting against her to bomb the date within minutes, that being in her mansion, the small town woman would realize prejudices of old, the hate of high society and her standing in her life back then. The classroom was neutral ground, while Lorelai's bedroom, she felt very comfortable and at home, a place where she could pad about without being yelled at by an OCD housekeeper about having 'dusty feet'. Never in that entire evening had she felt as if Lorelai would chew at her if she forgot to do something like change an empty toilet paper roll.  
   
Her eyebrows scrunched up as she read the Periscope vacantly. The two weeks had put her on edge, those thirteen days seeming to be an eternity, filled with changes that would be defining her life from here on out. She was in a good place, calm and centered, all bitterness that Rory and Brad had topped her in the final ranking gone because she didn't have to give a speech where she would probably chastise Charleston for breaking his personal promise four years ago to assure her a place in Harvard.  
   
That was Wednesday though, the final day of her school career. Today was Friday, and the only place she'd ever have to hear about that cursed man again was probably going to be in his quarterly begging letters which were less subtle than the appeals her father received from Connecticut Public Television.  
   
She still never got over the $50,000 donation he made in her name ten years ago to support the network's distribution of _Barney & Friends_. Paris loved her father for supporting a worthy institution, but she loathed the simplistic nature of that stupid dinosaur's program.  
   
Trying to find a last distraction as she prepared for Lorelai, she went over her clothes one more time. Paris never felt like a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl, and for her to wear them was alien. But she knew everything would be doomed if she donned a stiff dress or her usual corduroys. So after she left the club she spent an hour digging through her closet looking for one of the many souvenir shirts her father gave her on trips back but never wore. Cities, places of business, sports teams unfamiliar to her (or couldn't ever stand, like those damned Yankees). She ended up in a Liverpool F.C. jersey in the end, not only because it was comfortable, but because she wanted to show the other woman that she wasn't like anyone else that Lorelai ever dated. She was a football fan and would have played herself, but with her mother in control there was no way to tell her she didn't want to pursue soccer beyond the YSO level. So she would instead spend many a weekend doing her homework while being thankful for satellite television to follow her favorite teams.  
   
The blue Calvins fit a little loose, but only because Paris felt as if she wasn't built to wear low-rise or tight pants. She felt comfortable, casual, and a bit normal. After throwing her hair into a loose ponytail, she also felt just a smidge sexy. _At least I don't have to throw on makeup_ , she thought, glad that she had notice this time that the woman was coming back for her. Curled up on the sofa she cleared her mind with breath exercises, positive thoughts, things that she knew Dr. Birnbaum would encourage her to do. She was beginning to feel relaxed, at ease with herself as her hands finally stopped their shaking.  
   
Her breathing was even, thoughts calmed. She wasn't going to overthink anything and keep a relaxed vibe through the whole evening if she could help it. It was just a night for her and Lorelai to catch up, and they had to start the night as adults, just talking to each other. _We did that_ , she reassured herself, remembering the long ramble they had in Lorelai's bed. It was comfortable and calming, and things led where they did naturally in her mind. Bringing her focus back to her magazine, she was ready to read the cover story, when she heard the familiar long tone coming from the other side of the room.  
   
The intercom was beeping, and since Paris was all alone, all the signals were sent to the media room for her to know.

"Hello?" A nervous and scratchy female voice sounded across the room as Paris leapt to attention, running slowly to hit the white button. Her blue socks mismatched the jersey, an intentional move to show she could just 'throw something on'. Her hair bounced and eyes focused on the speaker as she became excited with the familiar voice.  
   
 _Don't come on too strong_ , she told herself. _Just answer and let her in._ She cleared her throat, and then opened up the channel of communication.  
   
"Lorelai?" She came off self-assured and calm.  
   
"The one and only. Uh, I hope you didn't mind if I parked in the front drive, I didn't know where else to. If you want me to move, I can."  
   
"No need, the staff doesn't return until Sunday. I'll be right down."  
   
"All right." Opening the door from the media room, Paris walked down the corridors of the mansion, feeling so nervous, yet calm about how things were going. She was almost alone beyond gate guards who were told she had a guest they were not to say one word about, and had almost nothing stopping her except for her self control. _She's here. She held her promise!_ Internally she was very pleased that Lorelai hadn't stood her up and making the final turn into the front foyer prepared her for the rest of the night, be it in a friendly or romantic manner.  
   
Paris didn't have a moment of hesitation or pause as she opened the door to greet Lorelai, knowing one pause would set a negative tone for the night. She smiled as she pulled the door open, trying to exude warmth from second one.  
   
"Hey, Paris," Lorelai said right away, waving at her. "So, here I am."  
   
"Here you are," Paris responded, taking in the tall woman in front of her. "Hello."  
   
"You have no idea how hard it was to convince Rory to go off by herself. Checklists and shopping lists, oh my! I promised her I'd be fine with whatever she bought us." She walked in the front hall, ushered in by Paris as she shut the door behind her, locking it immediately. "I mean she's had my sizes for what, four years? They aren't about to change in the time I'm over here, and I tried to convince her of that."  
   
"You're sure she's ready to go off to Harvard?" Paris asked wryly.  
   
"Sometimes I have no idea." Lorelai shook her head as she let herself look the young woman over, trying to hold back her feelings for the girl. "I had to promise not to interfere with her and Jess before we leave, so I guess it was sort of a fair tradeoff." The woman silently scoffed, and Paris quickly caught it as she shut the door and activated the alarm system.  
   
"Fair would be giving you space from having spread yourself thin all week, along with the finest Swiss chocolates, laying in bed for hours, and a marathon of one of those 80's shows you enjoy so much." Paris shook her head. "I think. You do like shows from that decade, right? Since it was when you were a teenager and all." She laughed nervously, while scolding herself silently for already acting like a dork.  
   
"Still a charter member of the Ricky Schroeder fan club," Lorelai replied, smiling at her. "I can live with just one free night to relax though. I'd have no idea what I'd do or what to buy in that outdoors store, so she should do just fine."  
   
"You did give her a spending limit, right?" Paris asked waringly.  
   
The innkeeper gasped and threw back her head dramatically. "Wait, I wasn't supposed to tell her to keep using the card until 'declined' lit up on the card swiper?"  
   
"Now you know how my mother gets into trouble. I swear I don't get my self-control from her."

Lorelai felt comfortable and at ease, unlike the nervousness she had making up her excuse in order to sneak away from her daughter. "You have a good head on your shoulders, Par. I like that about you, you're rational and composed all the time."

"I guess I can take that as a compliment." Paris scooted her socked foot against the hardwood. "But there have been times I haven't felt either way lately." She brought her eyes up to scan the taller woman, and what she was wearing for the first time. "This afternoon, for instance. Not composed."  
   
"I was frazzled," Lorelai responded back. "I still am a bit."  
   
"Are you hungry?" Paris's voice husked deeper than usual from that question, taking in the innkeeper's subtle curves in the glove-like dark blue jeans Lorelai wore, matched up with a tight lilac-colored t-shirt that just gave off a subtle hint of the skin along Lorelai's belly. She licked within her mouth, and her cheeks reddened as she felt her hormones rushing to pull at her brain. "I...I have pizza upstairs in the media room. The works, right?"

"You didn't have to do that," Lorelai said, feeling overwhelmed by the hospitality of the young woman. "Paris, I would have been fine without. I know you can't consume dairy, so you must feel left out."

Paris shrugged and smiled at her. "I had a salad, and it sufficed plenty for me. I just wanted to be nice."  
   
"Well it's very nice of you to do, thank you." Their eyes met together at that moment, and the couple felt shy despite the atmosphere that they created for themselves in the week before exams. "I’m...I'm..." Lorelai's cheeks warmed as she watched her young lover blossom in front of her eyes. The stiff and regal girl in the uniform or the Dress of Doom wasn't in front of her. Instead, Paris's hair was loose and carefree, no embellishment needed or stained mascara, nor was her face reddened from the everyday stress of preparatory school. The girl seemed comfortable in front of her, at ease with herself and her role in the world in the future. No more dead weight from exam worries, boy trouble or the stresses of having a best friend who didn't want to have that title.  
   
 _I have to stop this_ , Lorelai nagged at herself. _Two minutes in and I want her again? Uggh, I need time to ease in_. She felt guilty as the conversations of the week before came back, through texting and voicemails. Paris felt the same way, irritated that she wanted to push off her entire plan so quickly in order to have the woman in front of her back.

"I...I need to use the bathroom," Lorelai lied. "I just need to..." She was drawing closer to Paris, her hand moving close to clasp within the girl's. "I think I screwed up my blush, I think I..."

Paris stopped her train of thought by finishing the clasp, grasping on loosely to the woman, and letting her want for Lorelai come out of hiding. "Your blush is fine, Ms. Gilmore."

"No it isn't, it's off--"  
   
"It's beautiful." They were moving towards the staircase. "I invited you here because I needed to talk to someone, and I feel like I can trust you to hear about it. I feel comfortable with you, so please, stop thinking that this is such an odd situation to be in. You're here, and I'm here, and there's no pretext as to why."  
   
"So, you're not looking for excuses." Paris shook her head in the negative. "I'm just...it's been a long week, and I want it to end."

"Me too," the blonde responded. "We can end it together then." She then smiled as she perched a foot on the first step. "I'm glad that you decided to come here, Lor. I honestly had a fear that you wouldn't, or that you'd see me as coming on a bit strong."

The taller woman let her lips form into a grin as she let herself take in the girl, her eyes raking across Paris's short form. She felt her attraction for her returning fully again, dormant in the flurry of activity but suddenly back out of hiding. She brushed the bottom of Paris's right palm with her fingers, and let her fingers slide up the arm as she bent down to face her eye to eye.  
   
"I took a shower when I got home, Par." She then softly pecked the young woman's lips, letting her hot breath drift across Paris's deeply tanned skin. "And there was not one thought of not coming here." Another kiss as Paris breathed in deeply, feeling her stimuli overwhelmed. "We have to talk, right?"  
   
"Talk..." Paris's mind felt empty for a moment, until she could get her thoughts back on track. "Right, talk, yes." She began to slowly climb the steps with Lorelai following her. "We have plenty to chat about. To catch up."  
   
"We do," Lorelai said. "And I am a bit hungry."  
   
"You're always a bit hungry," Paris joked. "I would have been chagrined if you weren't."  
   
"I guess that's what you get for letting pregnancy hormones kick in at 16." The two laughing women headed to the media room, trying their best to behave, while knowing that the chemistry between them was much more volatile and uncertain this night than it had been previously.  
   
It was going to be a long evening, for sure.  


* * *

 ** 7:30pm  
   
**"So really, this guy trying to build a gas station actually offered you $150,000 after the auction to sell the property?" Paris scoffed. "After he lost the auction fair and square?"  
   
"He said 'Baby, you could put a down payment on a Sleep Inn franchise with that.' He actually called me baby! In front of all those people at the auction! I couldn't believe him, I mean he couldn't see that I was serious about purchasing the damned building?" Lorelai growled as she recalled the aftermath of the auction and the grumbling that she won the bidding, relaying all the dirty details. "Mind you this was a guy who bumped the bidding from 25 to 30 for no damned reason at all except to piss off someone looking to donate it to the historical society. I wouldn't mind being outbid by him, but the Gasshole, we fought tooth and nail!"  
   
"I still can't believe he sucked so much of your bidding reserve on piddly little bids though." Paris had her legs draped across Lorelai's lap, the intensity of the story building her anger. "What the fuck is he thinking, suggesting you throw your money into some budget chain? The turnover in those hotels is through the roof, you really can't trust your employees, and theft? Everything has to be hammered down, all the way to the bed! You would die running a hotel like that."

"I know! He tried psyching me out by telling me about Hartford hotel failures over the years between bids, like I was bound to fail."

"You won't, I know that," Paris argued. "His type of station has no appeal in your town. Why would they want to build a station with twelve pumps? Or to piss off Gypsy by taking her customers away? You know she'd violate minimum markup to stay in business and find it worth it to do so, because people like her. She fixes cars, does a damned good job and is an honest woman. Exxon certainly doesn't care about customer loyalty except when it comes to cigarettes, beer, and high gas prices."

"He'll probably build it out on the highway anyways, but I guess he wanted to try for a near-downtown location. Just to rub it in."  
   
"Or ruin the water supply," Paris off-handed.  
   
"He wouldn't have gotten it built anyways; it would've had too much light pollution. The high school still has to play football on Saturday afternoons because Taylor won't allow them to put in lights."

"See, your town, despite how they come off sometimes, still has some sanity." Lorelai laughed as Paris settled her head against the cushions. "I find it so ironic that you got to 61 and he stopped bidding because everyone was booing him. The innkeeper was being denied her inn and everyone else stopped bidding, and finally the yutz gets the fucking point and thinks 'I better stop bidding now'."  
   
"And yet, $150,000 offer. Which I didn't consider for one second because I now own the inn of my dreams."

"Hopefully it is," Paris said, smiling at the woman. "You're going to do well, I know it. It'll be rough building it up, but it's always that way for any business."

"I just hope that I'm in the right place at the right time," Lorelai mused. "I've spent so much time saving for this and getting the loan, and I don't want to lose it. The whole town is counting on me to do this right--"  
   
Paris interrupted. "And you will." She stared at the woman, taking in the worry lines and doubts that were floating across her face. "You really can't predict how things will shake out, but I'm sure everything will come around. You just have to have that faith in yourself to do so."

"I do, really. I don't want to regret this though." After a little more conversation about the Inn and everything around it, the two women felt the conversation level beginning to move away from the awkwardness and back towards their comfort zones, both of them really getting into it. Paris of course tried to push the woman on trying to build the rooms with a period atmosphere mixed in with the new, and showed zeal describing how a few rooms in the mansion during a renovation a few years earlier had been done with salvaged materials. "You can get great deals through salvage outfits," she told Lorelai, describing how her father's den had went from 60's mod to a classic room from the teens with all the modern conveniences. They were warm to each other, finding their common ground, and although their romantic tension was still thick, it wasn't overwhelming anything.  
   
Slowly, Lorelai's purchase had become exhausted, and finally, the blue-eyed beauty was able to find a broach to what brought her here in the first place. As Paris resettled herself and swiped some garlic bread from a pizza box, she found Lorelai setting her hand on her knee and looking towards her.  
   
"So you said that you had something to tell me?" Smiling, Lorelai directed a comforting glance at the Jewish girl.  
   
Caught mid-bite, she forgot her instilled manners temporarily. "Yeth, I zoo."  
   
"So it's true, you're going into competitive eating," Lorelai cracked. "I should've known you were girding to take on Sonya Thomas in the Sheboygan brat-eating contest." Chewing and swallowing, Paris laughed, shaking her head.  
   
"I'd have a little problem with that, being Jewish and all. Immediate forfeit right away."  
   
"Crap, you're right. See what happens when I make a quip without thinking? It gets me into trouble." She sunk back into the couch, feeling incredibly stupid for missing the whole kosher thing. "You don't think any less of me, I hope?"

"Nah, but I might have to play you the VHS of my bat mitzvah Torah reading because of that." She put her hand on Lorelai's thigh, feeling so light and the nerves of earlier totally calmed. "But yeah, there was a good reason to invite you here beyond getting to hear about the fact you now have a big old building to baby."

"And what a building it is. If those walls could talk..." Lorelai sighed wistfully at her walkthroughs of the building. "Legend has it Al Capone stayed a night there and supervised some bathtub distilling."

"You have so many things you could highlight. Didn't I hear something about how the older version of that Inn was an Underground Railroad stop?"  
   
"That it was." Lorelai brought her attention towards the blonde. "But come on, no more stalling. Tell me, learned woman, what you dragged me out here for."

"Alright, alright." Paris was so excited about her news that her stomach had that dizzy feeling. "So you know that last week I finally brought my choices down to either Cornell or Yale."

"Right. You told me you were done with Brown because Providence's rents were crazy high?"  
   
"Gentrification is a bitch. Ugh." She went on. "But yes, so I'm double-majoring, just to get an idea of whether to go into medicine like I want to, or law, which I learned to love trying to make sure Daddy's lawyers did the divorce right." She explained the pros and cons of each school, saying she enjoyed Cornell for the quiet campus and connections to New York, but the 'school of world leaders' and feel of Yale's urban campus also had an appeal. She raised her hands in the fashion of a balance scale as she went over her various conversations with officials in Ithaca and New Haven, and really enjoyed hearing all of their presentations, including promises of named items on campus if her father just happened to drop a few more dollars towards the school of her choice. Lorelai, one to have usually mock college talk (which she did with her daughter often), was in awe hearing the young woman describe everything about both schools that she liked and how her education would be wonderful in the hands of either school.  
   
"So I'm thinking it over at the beginning of this week, and I don't know where to go yet. I'm still completely confused and really, beyond the usual frat or sorority nonsense, I can't seem to find any kind of fatal flaw in where to go. I am completely undecided. I mean, I was truly at the point of flipping a coin in order to make my choice, but really, that is ridiculous and who knows what would happen if it landed on the edge instead of a face, even if it only happens once in a million times, but I can't take that chance. So it comes down to looking over the records of other Chiltonians to see what they prefer. It's even between Cornell and Yale, so I'm pretty much the tiebreaker between them. And I've got recruiters calling from New York and New Haven, and ugggh...I don't know." She watched Lorelai trying to keep up the conversation. "I...I'm not losing you, am I, Lor?"  
   
The brunette was quick with her response. "No, of course not. Completely following this, I find it kind of...cute." She smiled at the girl, so honest with her feelings, which caused Paris to blush.  
   
"This is not cute. Choosing a college is a serious decision which affects the rest of your life."

"So, how did you choose?"

"There was only one way that I could seem to find happiness with my choice," she said, feeling so apprehensive. "But I need you to promise, you won't laugh at me."

"Why not?"

"Because, you're going to find how I did so, incredibly dorky."  
   
"I think that's the first time I've ever heard you use that word." She felt such a pull towards the girl, trying to hold back because of the seriousness of the subject. "So how did you choose?"  
   
"Not until you promise."

"Paris--"  
   
"You mock me once, I will clam up for the rest of the night and make you find out on your own." She pouted seriously in front of Lorelai, even going so far as to cross her arms over her chest.

"Fine, Paris. I swear to you right now that I will not make fun of how you decided where you're going to spend the next four years of your life." She felt incredibly odd for promising the girl not to mock her. "Now, can you let me in on your decision?"  
   
"I think that your promise is true." She took a deep breath, preparing to go off on another of her long and breathless tangents. "So I get home Monday afternoon, the last day of school, and I'm under enormous pressure that let up a little bit when your daughter beat me by thousandths of a grade point and saved me the duty of having to speak at graduation."  
   
"So...you didn't have a speech written up already?" Lorelai smirked at the girl, while Paris rolled her eyes.  
   
"Since the end of March. But that's not the point. My cell phone was packed with messages from the recruiters. My email wasn't doing any better and I was just so worn out from the final Latin exam that I just wanted to go to sleep and forget the world until rehearsals the night after. But I pretty much had to decide on a college by the time I got up on that stage to receive my diploma. I was getting to the point of choosing, but all of my pros and cons were on scratch paper all over the place. My backpack contained thirty pounds of junk from my locker and the _Franklin_ , my back felt like it was going to collapse, my feet hurt, and all I wanted to do was get out of that uniform, curl up in a ball, and sleep."

That portion got Lorelai's attention. The woman's ears perked up as her imagination filled with images of the poor girl groaning under the stress of life. She thought the picture would be just enough.  
   
But Paris had planned out every word she said in a way that would not only tell the story, but perk Lorelai up by making it more exciting for her. All through since she made the decision, she had thought of how to bring it up, and had the perfect way of doing so.

Lorelai was then surprised to see Paris eyeing her up and curling onto the couch, her voice lowering as she began to set the scene.  
   
"It was then I realized, this would be the last time I ever took off the uniform as a Chilton student. This was it, my final time changing from school clothes to regular clothing. I looked at myself in the mirror, thinking back to the first time I wore it in ninth grade when I moved to the Academy from Country Day. Back then, I was so ill at ease with myself. My hips were too big, my thighs didn't look exactly flattering in the skirt, and the blouse..." She huffed loudly. "Yeah, it never flattered me back then."  
   
She went on to explain further about how she found herself much more attractive four years later, more adult and mature, everything brought out and her body looking wonderful in her eyes. How after so many years she felt so independent for not having gone with any kind of tuck, plastic surgery, or extreme makeup regimen.  
   
"I took off the uniform slowly, and then on my desk chair, I had two sweatshirts laid out across it, both sent that day and left by the housekeeper as one final lure by each of the schools. Very beautifully made, with embroidered letters and multi-colored logos, these had to be the ones that cost more than $100. One in the self-named color of the Eli, while the other was in the unique Cornell color of carnelian." Her face lit up as she described her reaction. "I just stood there in the room looking at them, and thinking to myself how if only I hadn't blown my Harvard interview, I wouldn't be there. But it happened, and I had to choose. I had to decide. A quiet life in central New York State, or the atmosphere and comfort of that old city."  
   
She cuddled up to Lorelai, laying on top of her as the woman felt herself becoming recharged at how intimate Paris was being with her. Her eyes took in the girl, looking so beautiful now that all the stress of school had been lifted from her, turning her into a normal and calm girl hardly concerned with her GPA. "So I tried them both on, the Cornell shirt first. I really liked it; it was comfy and roomy enough, and I did feel nice. But I don't know, it just wasn't perfectly comfortable. Their logo is kind of plain and simplistic, their motto is a long quote in English from the school's founder, and as I wore it, I just kept thinking about how alone I'd be in Ithaca. It is a beautiful town, very vibrant social scene, close to Syracuse and Rochester. But I looked at myself, in just that sweatshirt, and in my mind, I tried to picture myself at Cornell." She felt Lorelai's steady breathing, her clear blue eyes concentrated on her as she told the tale.  
   
"Then, I took it off. I draped it on my bed and took the Yale shirt in my hands. I put it on slowly, and as I straightened it across my shoulders, I looked at myself. At the logo, not only in Latin, but Hebrew, a language I'd love to learn fully one day, a script I find so beautiful. That dark color across my torso, the soft feel of the fabric, how it seemed to be so natural to enjoy being in a shirt from a college in my home state. I stood there, looking myself over in the mirror, thinking things over, all my decisions, my pro-con lists, all that fretting I did since I got the thin sheet from Harvard. That pain...it hasn't...gone away." She felt a bit emotional about the snubbing by her family's college, that she would never be good enough for them. "I don't know what I did to make them see me the wrong way, but they were so...cold."

"Paris..." Lorelai stretched herself across Paris, her hands resting on her hips. "My heart broke for you that night. Honest to God, they were cruel to turn you down like that. Twelve years of hard work, and for what, to be thrown into chaos because you got emotional during an interview?" Her quiet voice soothed the girl's self-loathing. "I enjoy you having that passion, those tangents. If they thought you were just too off kilter to be a Harvard student, what the hell is wrong with them?"  
   
The blonde woman was surprised by Lorelai's sharing of her own feelings for them. "You really think you should be saying that about your daughter's school?"

"I think I should. These schools are cruel, and it shows me that even if you spend hours studying, it means nothing unless you turn on the charm during an interview." Lorelai wasn't afraid to be candid about it. "You did it straight, by challenging the interviewer and turning the tables on her to prove that you were making the right choice. Rory was just complacent and complimentary. She even flirted with her interviewer a little bit."

"You're sure?" Paris was in shock.  
   
"She admitted it." Lorelai frowned. "It was a strategy she developed in a mock session with Jess. It took him by surprise, so she decided to do a few pulls on her skirt and leg-crossings here and there, and a few hollow compliments. It worked, and I'm not proud of her for that."

"I know you would've told her never to do that," Paris shared. "It's like ever since she got her acceptance, she's been a bit...how do I put this without being insulting to her?"  
   
"Cocky is what you're looking to say. Believe me, I hope when she gets there she realizes pretty quickly that her innocence and charm won't get her by. She needs grit and determination, like you have." She soothed the blonde girl in her arms, trying to show how much Paris was getting to her. "The flirting works, for a while. I did it when I got my MBA during a few classes before my most important instructor told me tersely that I was there to learn, not treat the U of H like a singles bar. So I cooled it down, became serious, and--"  
   
"He can be proud of you now," Paris finished. "You have an inn you will run because you learned from him the right way."

"Exactly. His management lessons were something I used at the Independence, and they were perfect. I can't forget Mr. Mulhaney very easily, because without him, I didn't get the guts to even go after an inn of my own." She was wistful, remembering the middle-aged man as the guidepoint that got her career fully on track.

Paris watched the woman above her, stunned in place as her thumbs circled her waist. She felt herself heating up, and had to get back on track.  
   
"I'm glad that he did," she acknowledged. "So I was saying, about the sweatshirts?"  
   
"Oh yeah, you were." Lorelai grimaced. "Sorry, I find a point, I run away with it."

"Good point though."  
   
"I thought so," Lorelai husked.  
   
"So, sweatshirts." Paris continued the story. "Yale was comfy. I really enjoyed wearing it. But I just didn't feel right with myself because I was choosing between two great schools with two great plans for me. I would be set for life at either; Yale's got killer law and med schools, but Cornell has Weill-Cornell in Manhattan. That's like where all the best come from in medicine because it's in the largest city in the nation. But I kept thinking to myself, do I really see myself at Cornell? Can I visualize it in my mind and think about my years there as positive? Ithaca, a beautiful town. New Haven, a little gritty, but it's like an old dependable, you might knock it for a few things but it still is the heart of Connecticut." She audibly gasped, trying to make Lorelai see how the choice affected her. "But the truth is, I did love Cornell. It's great, has everything I could ever wanted. The thing is though, looking in that mirror, seeing myself in the Cornell shirt, I just felt numb. I didn't see the excitement I had whenever I got a new piece of Harvard memorabilia. It was just a shirt. Nothing more, nothing less." She brushed away hair from in front of her face. "I even closed my eyes while wearing the Yale shirt trying to think of myself ten years from now, proclaiming myself a graduate of Cornell."

"Wow, you really thought this through." Lorelai could have never thought before that point that a shirt could never hold so much significance. It had come down to just that as a deciding factor for Paris, and whether she could see herself in it, proclaiming the colors she wore as her own. "Paris..."

Her mouth was suddenly closed as Paris brushed her lips with her right index finger, sliding it along the glossed flesh. Her heated stare weighed against the older woman, her brown eyes seeming so deep and limitless. It was also the first time she noticed that like she was, Paris went without any kind of makeup that night. The small freckles upon her nose, usually blurred by a slim covering of foundation, were exposed, and Lorelai found herself becoming ever more enchanted by the intense woman she could have never pictured to haunt her dreams.  
   
Paris's voice lowered down to a deep murmur. "Lorelai, it took me so long to decide, but I think my heart eventually came to the right decision. I agonized over it for so long, and standing in that bedroom, the uniform of my former institution at my feet in a pile and looking over myself in such a shirt, I decided to take a risk. Something I never thought I would do, could never even fathom thinking." Her hand grasped at Lorelai's side, possessively. The two women were very close together within the intimate clench, the space a chasm between their building tension.  
   
"You looked at yourself, and what?" Lorelai asked, feeling her breath seeming to disappear. Her eyelashes fluttered, her heart pumped hard within her chest and she felt her nerves seem to relax.  
   
"I kept my eyes open, taking a look at myself in that mirror. I had never been in that position in years, just looking into one without some routine reason. At that moment, I realized I was no longer a student in a secondary school. I had reached the top number grade, and there was no higher I could go. I had attained every damned honor I could wring out of this state, except for the one thing your daughter claimed. But that wasn't on my mind. I stood in front of that mirror, the first true moment of quiet I've had in fifteen years." Her other arm wrapped around the brunette lightly, and her eyes took on a dreamy focus. She shifted her positioning in a subtle way that didn't stir the innkeeper.  
   
Just as Lorelai was prepared to hear the answer...  
   
"I saw you behind me, Lorelai." She paused intentionally, letting it wash over the woman.  
   
"M-m-me?" Lorelai stumbled.  
   
"I saw you," Paris repeated, in a soft tone. "I felt my hormones overcharge at that exact moment, and there you were behind me in the mirror image, wrapping your arms around me. I saw you there, in a little black tank top and boyshorts, and though you could have never thought you'd play some kind of role in my decision, you did. Your voice guided me through the toughest five minutes I've in my lifetime." Paris described how she pictured the conversation, with Lorelai behind her, whispering words of encouragement, thoughts she'd had since it all came down to Cornell and Yale. About how she needed to be close to her father and that although she'd love Cornell, it was sure to be lonely and strange, a place where her family was a Thruway drive and five hours away.  
   
"But then I was reminded by you, in your voice, as you held me close, that I need to fight for what I want." She closed her eyes, as she brought Lorelai close to her. "Behind me in that mirror, you reminded me of what has drawn you towards me. The intense drive I have, the goals I set for myself, that if I don't meet, I regard as a failure. Something that you do yourself, Lorelai, although not as intense. You are the most stubborn bitch I know, and I mean that in the most complimentary of ways."

"Well, it is kind of my nickname," Lorelai reminded her, "Tease." She smiled, and found herself enchanted by the building fire in Paris's eyes. "So you used me to argue what you felt is right."  
   
Paris's face softened. "Not just you. Your essence. The fight that you had to crawl to the crest of the hill over eighteen years, something not every woman could fathom. You didn't do it by being cold and indifferent. The path you blazed is full of kindness and caring, of defending yourself and your daughter with every challenge thrown your way. That spirit, the way you took me as my heart was crushed and told me never to focus on what he did to me, but instead what I could do for myself, I've remembered that since I left your embrace that Sunday morning in the foyer." She settled her hands on Lorelai's rear, feeling the tension in the room building. "When I thought about what you said, that I could do better, that I could do well in this world, and you repeated it in my mind, in front of my mirror, I knew that I had found the path. Where I needed to go, what I needed to do with myself."

"And...what's that?" Lorelai felt dizzy in the embrace of the schoolgirl, her voice so precise and measured, yet with that lilt which currently had her on the edge.

Paris measured her tone carefully, ready to spring her decision on the woman. "I have a graduation party on Sunday evening; supposedly a surprise, but I know about it already since I have a secret BCC address for some fictional relative in Houston my mother never thinks of vetting on the family email list. The most stressful gathering ever, because both my maternal and fraternal relatives will be here. At ten o'clock that night, everyone will know where I'm headed in August. And right now, only the school I chose, and myself, know where I'm going."  
   
Lorelai's heart beat faster. She felt it palpitate in her chest as she took in the exact reason that Paris had invited her here to have one last night before she had to leave for Europe. She felt everything begin to overwhelm her, the fact that she had been the spirit guiding the decision that would have Paris Gellar - '07 within one school's records for the rest of time.

She felt a little bit odd, being in that room, with the girl that she couldn't shake herself from, no matter how she tried. The pull between them was tightening, and Lorelai felt she couldn't dare be put in the position she was.  
   
"Par..." She gasped the young woman's name. "What are you trying to say?" There was a long pause, one where Paris just stared at Lorelai, eye to eye. They were both in that small intimate space within the media room, the Weather Channel on mute and the movie long ignored as the tension between them strained.  
   
Paris lowered herself down to lay lengthwise with the hotelier, her eyes staying focused. "Not say, ask." Her voice had a tired and relaxed hum to it.

"Ask what?"  
   
"Did I make the right choice?" Paris asked. Lorelai thought she didn't have the answer.  
   
"Why ask me?" Lorelai was bewildered. "I have no idea about college choice beyond the whole _Money Pit_ concept I'm avoiding thanks to scholarships and my dad's financial aid."

"Because, I called in my acceptance a couple of hours after I was in front of my mirror. I totally pissed off the receptionist because they had to call the dean of admissions at his home, during dinner. But I had to get it out there. The moment felt right, and I knew in my heart that what I decided, it was true." She took Lorelai's wrists and forced her hands up from the belt loops of her jeans. "And since then, I've spent so many moments doubting myself. Do I really deserve it? Was that counselor at Harvard correct when she said I shouldn't bother to be Ivy League?"

"Wait." Lorelai stopped her. "She actually told you that?"

Paris nodded, feeling ashamed. "I was told that my personality was too abrasive for such a setting, and that accounted into the decision. She even told me in her own words that even if I would have been accepted she would have advised the Crimson and Lampoon to disallow me on the staffs of their papers. They were afraid--"  
   
"Stop, right there!" Lorelai, firm in her tone, shook her head. "That bitch had absolutely no business getting so personal with your decisions. How dare she call you abrasive!"

"But I am," Paris stated matter-of-factly. "Rory heard my interview. I heard my interview. It wasn't pretty."

"Paris." Lorelai felt herself in such an honest moment. "Maybe...you're going to hate me for saying this, but I have to." She held her close, as the blonde lay against her shoulder, looking up. "Let's use Tristan as an example. From what little I heard from Rory, he was your dream guy before he got into trouble, right?"  
   
"Yeah." She wasn't sure what she was leading into.  
   
"And you imagined yourself together with him forever for so many years. But then, he came back last year and he fell into a crowd of idiots and became an asshole. I watched one of the rehearsals and I could pretty much see that you couldn't stand him."

"You're right." Paris felt embarrassed by him. "I hated what he became. I couldn't stand him anymore, and when I heard he got into trouble, I felt like good riddance to him. All this love for him...it just disappeared. I didn't want anything to do with him."

"So, compare that to Harvard." Lorelai smiled down, moving a hand up to stroke Paris's luminescent hair. "Think about how long and passionate your want to be there was. It was more intense than anything you've ever experienced. Even Tristan. You poured your heart and soul into getting into that college, sacrificed so many things, too many friends, maybe even possible lovers, to be at that college." She felt so surprisingly passionate about describing things to the girl, even with their difference in intelligence that wasn't visible at all in anything but a test setting. "I mean, compare me. I've poured everything I've had in being able to have a normal life without depending on my parents, and I've pretty much done it. Somehow, I got to this point where I'm buying my own inn.  
   
"But then I see you, this wonderfully intelligent young woman who has done all you can to be an assertive and passionate being looking for only one goal; Harvard. So you look forward to it, slave through grade after grade, taking all the insults and all the challengers, doing everything legally possible to tell them 'I want in this school, and don't you dare stop me.'" She took a deep breath, feeling dizzy from the monologue she was directing towards Paris. Lorelai never felt winded talking usually, but feeling the girl within her arms, she felt very protective of her.

"When I heard you weren't going to Harvard, I was just in shock. I was appalled at them for doing that to you. I thought, how could they do that? How could they be so cruel to in some thinly worded form letter, crush your dream, break your heart, and turn you from a proud young woman, into that sad, depressed and mopey mess who knew she did everything she could, and it wasn't good enough? That it was all futile in the end?"  
   
Paris looked into Lorelai's eyes, and she couldn't believe how strong she was to her in that moment. With the woman's fingers running through her hair and the indignation she heard in the Chilton mother's voice, she was just in awe at how the woman was defending her honor. She never felt like fighting Harvard in any way beyond sending strongly-worded letters to anyone who considered hiring her admissions coach, but she had felt so alone in the world after the rejection.  
   
She didn't think it was possible to fall for the woman further, but what Lorelai would tell her next was something that would rightfully make her blood boil.  
   
"You don't know this, and if this ever gets back to Rory, she will hate me. But I thought she never did enough after your rejection to comfort you."

"Ms. Gilmore, it's fine," she argued. "She got in. She should be happy. You should be happy for her."

"Don't you understand, though? You should have gone in together, as friends. Instead, she gets the acceptance, all the compliments from the town and my parents, and then she works Jess into Boston College. I should be happy and proud of her. And I am. But only to a point, because she is pushing you off to the side just because you couldn't get in. She spent all of...what was it, how long was she there to give you homework?"  
   
"Ten minutes."

"And then she also made fun of your nose piercing attempt." Lorelai shook her head. "Talk about kicking you in the O's when you're already down. I sternly told her never to do that again. You were hurt and trying to find yourself is nothing to joke about." Below her, Paris began to tear up, feeling overwhelmed.  
   
"I...I thought it would be...interesting."  
   
"Hey." Lorelai smiled at her, caressing her cheek. "All that happened was that you picked a sketchy place to get it at. If you want to, I know a clean place in Chester you can go and get it done. Sookie got some done there and they never got infected."

"I just reacted. I needed an outlet," she admitted. "I don't think I'd look good with a piercing anyways."

"Maybe you will." She brought the girl up so they could be face to face. "The point of what I'm saying is, you deserved none of this. Rory should've supported you better, and no one should ever celebrate someone else's rejection from a school." She softly kissed Paris, and firmly stated what she thought of her in that moment. "But I saw you bounce back from the rejection. You didn't let it get you down, and you came back stronger than ever. That's gotta count for something here, hon. And whatever college you chose, they're going to be pleased as punch to see someone who's ready to go right out of the gate and from how you think, it looks like you're devoted to them, and not just as a safety school."

"Like a bulldog?" Paris wondered, smiling and finding her resolve anew.  
   
"Yes, exactly like that. You're kind of like one when you get angry."

"I know. I am exactly like a bulldog." She winked at Lorelai, trying to hint at something. "You know, like Handsome Dan." She wrapped her arms around Lorelai at her waist, feeling up her slim form and enjoying the banter they were having.  
   
"Handsome Dan? OK, I know my 70's bands, but I think that you mean England Dan and John Ford Coley. I never heard of that other guy."

Paris felt like slapping her forehead. "You have no idea who Handsome Dan is?"  
   
"Was he the drummer KC and the Sunshine Band?" Lorelai thought she was absolutely correct, but seeing the girl above her groan, she felt a bit dumb.

"Here I am, with a woman who can pretty much name every Billboard single and #1 movie of the last six decades, along with lyrics and dialogue for many of them, and you take the wind out of my sails by not following my cue?" Paris laughed as she spoke. She couldn't believe she had just put a big one over Lorelai Gilmore, the queen of all pop culture and probable future Trivial Pursuit world champion. "Come on, do I have to play the freakin' Pyramid with you, Lor?"  
   
"Things that I have no idea about?" That earned the brunette a light punch in the elbow. "Oww! Come on, I'm trying to humor you here."

 _OK, I'm not going to get this very easily. Might as well drop the hint here._ Paris decided to be brash about what she was leading into. "Bulldog? Handsome Dan? The current color of my bra? They all connect somehow to what I'm trying to tell you."

"Uh, give me more?" She just couldn't get the answer...  
   
But then she stopped upon hearing the young woman's third clue.

"Wait, bra?" Lorelai felt herself flushing from the mere mention of anything within a small distance of Paris's ampleness. "Color?" She narrowed her eyes. "Just what are you trying to do to me?"  
   
She pushed herself up from the woman, keeping a nice toothy smile upon her face as she began to tease the innkeeper for her ineptness on the subject...in more ways than one.

Paris quirked her eyebrows up and dared the woman to go further.  
   
"You'll find out if you take off my shirt." Her smoky gaze challenged the woman who was usually the one to dominate in every relationship she had.

Lorelai's breathing deepened as she found her hands moving up to the hem of the red jersey, while she attempted to show that she wasn't weakened by the challenge. She smiled at the girl, her unsteady thumbs raking the younger woman's soft stomach.  
   
"Aren't we kind of gutsy?" Lorelai observed. The material of the jersey bunched in the space between the fingers. "You do know that currently my self control is less than a hair trigger?"  
   
"Know?" Paris laughed softly. "Every time you glanced my way at graduation, you were undressing me with your eyes."

"Really?" Lorelai shook her head. "How could you think that? I couldn't really give you anything but friendly looks."

"Your eyes are always so intense though." Lorelai began to push the garment up. "I felt the same about you in that dress you wore to the ceremony." She took the reclined Lorelai at her waist. "I felt so hot having to know you were without a bra."

"It wouldn't go with the dress," the woman explained, salivating as she pushed the jersey further. "I tried to, but it dug into my sides. Hurt like hell."  
   
"I bet." The banter began to quicken. "I have no excuse for not wearing underwear beneath my dress beyond some latent desire to commit a last second uniform code violation and blacken my record of innocence at Chilton."

"Really, you were bare?" Lorelai felt tight.  
   
"What would the Headmaster do, hold my diploma?" Fingernails drifted up her side. "No one dared me at all, I did it myself, and I don't regret it."

"I'm rubbing off on you, eh?" The shirt was above her midriff.  
   
"I hope you do." Paris positioned herself into a blatant straddle. "How much have you wanted me, Lor?"

"I ask you the same question."

"You first, as you're older."

"You're wiser."  
   
"You're more adventurous."

"You're more amorous."

"Really?" Paris was stunned, but very wound up. "So you get off on my tongue?"

"Not yet, young lady." Lorelai spider walked her fingers up Paris's sides, watching her squirm. "Soon, I will." She suddenly stopped, watching the girl as her attention drifted to Lorelai's shirt riding up and shifting in all directions, exposing the woman's belly to her, and shifting a pink strap of her bra far to the other side. The girl's pupils shifted back and forth, her hormones taking a hard shift as she took in her lover below her, getting her all hot and bothered. _Oh God_ , Paris thought to herself. _Thank you for her. How did I ever get so lucky to be able to make love to her?_ She felt conflicted about continuing the banter fight, but as she felt herself tighten in place above the woman, she began to clench at just the barest thought of exposed skin.

While she thought about it, she had involuntarily lifted her arms off and allowed Lorelai to finish taking off the shirt. The woman tossed it to the side carelessly, and as Paris came to, she finally was able to live out the moment she was waiting all afternoon to live out.  
   
Static ruffled her hair, taking it out of place as she looked down at the woman, biting her lip as she took in the beautiful scene above her of the former schoolgirl coming into own as an adult, looking every bit the part, down to the very flattering bra that was framing her plentiful décolletage in a way that made every other man Lorelai ever slept with pale in comparison.  
   
But most importantly, was the color. Something that took at least five stops the day before to find in any store with a certain secret named after an 1800's Queen of England. She would not take one shade lighter, nor darker, and looking at the vacantly stuck stare of the innkeeper, Paris knew for the first time she had played the woman perfectly.  
   
She would not leave her for hours more, that was a given.  
   
"So," Paris whispered in her formal tone, "does it fit me?"

Lorelai took a pause to respond. "The bra? Oh God, yes."

"And the color?" she wondered. Lorelai licked her lips.  
   
"Fuck, yeah." She felt too honest to hold back her true emotions. "It's perfect. You look so perfect in it. Better than Harvard crimson by miles."

"So what do you think, Lor?" She pushed herself down, blatantly enjoying the bounce the garment gave to her breasts. "Am I gonna make Chilton proud?"

"You're making me proud," she admitted, her eyes not leaving the girl. "I can see why you went with it. The color fits you."  
   
"What is your guess then? You still need to answer the question." Her hands were within Lorelai's shirt, light flits along the side up to her bra.  
   
"You fucked yourself in that sweatshirt after I gave you all the fuel you needed to choose." She closed her eyes. "I was behind you, touching, kissing, nipping. My hand in your panties..."

"Yes..." Paris felt so connected. "So tight that evening. I felt so wrong, so blatant. Touching myself, thinking about you..."  
   
"One finger?"

"Then two." The shirt was slid up as Lorelai kicked off her socks, listening to the woman go on. "Such a hard clit to tease. Two weeks without you, too long. I don't know how we'll survive summer."

"We have lots to look forward to now, Par." Her hands rested now on Paris's back. "You didn't just choose for me though, right?"  
   
"You were a low reason, but one I definitely considered," she admitted. "All those texts, those voice messages late, late at night. Your voice, making me so wet..."  
   
"So much thanks I have an AC adapter," Lorelai shared. "And a daughter out like a light by nine o'clock."

"My poor showerhead. It hasn't seen so much use in years." She felt so turned on. "How can two times turn into such a hot thing like this?"  
   
"We're both combustible," Lorelai said. "After so many years and your failures, you know that you're fucking hot, Par."

Paris pulled off the shirt the rest of the way, throwing it to the top of the couch, where it immediately slid back between it. "I expected you in a light blue."

"I thought you'd wear plain white."

"Trust me, white is over for me. From here on out, it's all Yale blue for me." Paris voiced out her choice for the first time. "I love saying it; Yale. Yale. It feels natural, just one hard syllable to say where I'm going. No pretensions, no fancy ways of saying it. It's just bare, out there..."

"Beautiful, rebellious, hot-tempered to others." Paris began to push against the woman. "Something unexpected that no one would ever think possible. Like this."  
   
"Like this." Paris smiled. "I hated you at first."

"Hated you more."

"Never in a million years."

"A bazillion."

"But one hot day, I was in need, and I was rescued."  
   
"Someone so startling I could have never thought it possible."  
   
"I'm in Yale."

"I'm with you." The women were in an intensely intimate moment, one that they never thought would come. If February 28 had never come, where would they have been? What would have happened? Who would they have been with?  
   
None of those thoughts were on their mind at all as they took each other into close contact since that morning in Stars Hollow. Their hearts beating together, Paris and Lorelai began to enjoy the fact there was a possible future ahead of them.  
   
"I want you," Lorelai said with all she could muster, and the two women began to kiss hard, Lorelai feeling free to nip at the girl's lip and assert how much she had thought about the blonde since their last time together. Paris let herself fall into the moment, glad to set the foundation and allow Lorelai to build them up further. The future Eli was receptive of the woman's attention, the feel of her beautiful hands along her sides, and her bra heaving with each new movement. Her own hands wandered Lorelai indiscriminately as she took in her lover's perfect curves, the shape of her back, her sensitive scalp, along with her slim waist. She memorized the woman inch by inch as they made out, and she let her own mouth wander further away from Lorelai's mouth, towards her nose, her cheeks, her ears. They both felt so much tension as they both made up skipping past second base right away.  
   
They both kept their pants on, unwilling to go further, knowing they were only in the first hour of what they thought would be a four hour night. Slowly Lorelai asserted the topping position as she did things she couldn't have gotten away with two days before, scratching her nails softly down Paris's back in letter and curved patterns. Ever the eternal teenager Lorelai was surprised at how much she wanted to do and teach with Paris, an attentive student within their relationship.  Groping, touching, teasing, she guided the young woman through what had been rushed through before, slowly asserting that Paris had no reason to feel guilty about her feelings at all.  
   
 _I don't want this to leave my mind_ , she thought as her knee fell between Paris's legs, taking a look at the girl a half-hour later, the both of them heated, dampened and red, all talked and worn out. Paris's jeans were pushed down slightly to her waist, exposing the band of the matching panties, as her breasts were on a fuller display than intended, the straps of the bra at each of her elbows, the fabric barely covering her pebbled nipples. Truly she was overheated, her raw scent filling Lorelai's nose as their physical activity stunted the Jewish girl's anti-perspirant. She didn't care though, loving the feel of her hair so soaked and damp from making out. Doing something she wished to do since she first watched Louise and a guy go at it in ninth grade. The affection between them was natural and organic, and neither of them felt as if what they were doing wasn't true. They continued to talk and share things throughout, their voices strained with the tension that they were feeling together.  
   
It took force to break them apart, slowly, the both of them knowing that this would be the last night in a long time that they could be this close to each other. But Lorelai knew that at the end of the night, she wanted to leave the Manor having taken all of the possibilities of the night and making them true. She pulled away from the girl, her lips swollen and damp, and her beautiful brown eyes sleepy and contented from the attention given to her by the older woman.  
   
"Hey." Lorelai smiled down at the girl, brushing back her hair.

"Hi." Paris was warm beneath her, her soft frame totally relaxed. "If you would have told me at the beginning of last month we'd be here doing this, I might've gone off on you."

The brunette smirked, lying on the large cushions of the custom couch, which easily fit both of them lying down. "I would've questioned my own sanity."

"You are sort of insane, but in a good way." The girl's soft voice soothed the woman, and she couldn't think of anything else. "So, yeah, Yale. I'm in it." She wanted to confirm it was out there. "I am in Yale."

"You're in Yale," Lorelai repeated. "It does fit you, somehow."

"I always hated Yale," Paris explained. "It was like an insult to the Gellar family to say that you respected them for anything. Even if their medical school had a discovery, there would be someone to say that Cambridge could do it much better."

"So this was much more complicated than what shirt you want to wear?"

"Yeah," Paris sighed as she explained how fervent Harvard crimson ran through the family. "The first thing my father said to me after I showed him the letter was that the rejection was just a technicality, they must've mixed up my name. Or else they wanted me to squirm for a bit before sending the acceptance and that they were just kidding."  
   
"So you still went out to the mailbox everyday and hoped they'd have an acceptance for you?"  
   
"Is that stupid?" Lorelai shook her head. "Because I thought it was. I looked like an idiot out at the gate in my pajamas waiting for the mailman to come by. Those guards? They don't talk. So I talked to myself and probably looked like some kind of psycho. I think them and the mailman were relieved when I went back to school."

"How many days did you do this?"  
   
"Three. Then bargaining time was over, and hello ladies of _The View_ , depression, fifteen hours of sleep a day, and just a smidge of intoxication via some Nanny-bought white zinfandel. I was actually drunk on two glasses when Rory came by, but I hid the bottle and glass beneath my bedskirt."

"I would be too. But I'm glad you didn't take it to the scary old heiress isolation level."

She looked at the woman, seeing that she wasn't making fun of her at all, and was so relieved. "You make me sound normal, Lor. That week was far from my finest."  
   
"What are you supposed to do after you use a national platform to call out my daughter's chastity as a mitigating factor in your rejection?" She laughed a bit. "Par, you bounced back, and you're fine now. I had my bad week when it came to the Inn. I was hoping that everything would come back and I even booked guests before the insurance declared it a total loss. I was just like you, thinking it just burned some stuff but the building was still up and solid. But the damage was too large and the place was unsafe. We just had enough time to get in the lobby and extract the records from the office, and that's when it hit me." Lorelai frowned, her hand circling on Paris's waist. "I broke down in that room. Everything that could burn, burned. We managed to get 85% of the records, but the rest were gone. It was the worst feeling in the world to know that one day, I could've had this. This would have been mine. But it didn't happen, and...by the time I left the place for the last time before the backhoes and bulldozers had their way, I was a damned mess." She tried to hold back the tears. "I worked like crazy trying to get back in, to bring it back. But it wasn't going to happen, and all I can do, is rebuild. Somewhere else."

"We both have to," Paris finished. "I never wanted to go to Yale. I hated it. But I've learned to enjoy it, if not love it. The teaching staff's pretty good, and the campus life, it's bound to be nice. Plus, I can't wait to get into the paper." They kept their eyes on each other, feeling so warm from the conversation as she ran her hands along Lorelai's back to calm her down. "Once we get back home in August, we begin the recovery. I learn to love Yale, while you deal with all the complications of renovation."

"Would you hate me if I asked you if you could provide any help?" Lorelai wondered. "Apparently you wield a pretty mean hammer."

"I know how to build a kit house," Paris reminded. "But that takes help and I'm just part of the team. An inn, kind of a bit more complicated."  
   
"Well if I do need any help crunching the numbers, that you could do, right?"

"I'd recommend a good CPA to help you out, but I suppose if you need the math help, I can lend my expertise." She noticed Lorelai's eyes begin to close a bit, looking droopy. Her hypothesis that the woman indeed was running on caffeine fumes were confirmed with a soft yawn. Lorelai didn't want to show she was tired and tried to hide it so that Paris didn't think she was bored by any means, but it was of no use.  
   
"Oh my God," she said in a voice quickly tiring as she saw Paris's focused stare next to her. "Trust me, hon, you are not boring me at all. I'm so sorry--"

Paris cut her off with a touch of her hand, giving her that small little smile that melted Lorelai's heart. "Hey, it's OK. You haven't been sleeping well, I understand."

"But I want to spend all the time I can with you," she said. "I...I..."

"Here's an idea," Paris broached. "How did you get out of going with Rory to REI?"  
   
"I said I needed to go to Staples here in town and pick up some stationary and blank legal documents."

Paris felt nervous about laying it out on the line, but looking at Lorelai, she knew that she wanted to wring every moment she could out of the rest of the night. If she was rejected for the idea germinating, she wouldn't be sad. But feeling so close to her, Paris wanted Lorelai to have at least one night of peace before getting into the heavy-duty packing she had to do before Tuesday. She got up from the comfy leather couch and headed towards a chair in the corner of the media room, where a blanket laid on the back.

She felt kind of awkward in the room without a shirt on, but Lorelai's tired stare at her made her feel a bit heartened. She took the wool blanket and let Lorelai in on how she could stay overnight.  
   
"We can't go with any kind of excuse where you have to spend money on the Jeep, so..." She tossed the blanket over the laying woman, and Lorelai took it to tuck herself in. "You're going to tell her that you tried coming back home, but you forgot to hit the headlights and was pulled over by the State Patrol just off the entrance ramp. The patrolman gave you only a warning, but strongly advised that you get yourself a hotel room for the evening." She slid beneath the cover with the woman, resting her head on the cushion from the other side of the couch. "So for all Rory knows, you are currently at the Hilton Garden hotel near the Putnam Bridge."

"But she could come pick me up," Lorelai tried to explain. "She'll never believe it."

"Not now," Paris said, as she curled against the woman. "Tomorrow morning, she could. Really, I'm surprised you got here in the first place."  
   
"So call her in the morning?" Her voice was now a tired murmur as she let herself relax. "I'm glad I turned off my phone."

Paris turned around so that the other woman could spoon against her back. "I'm glad you came here a little tired."

"You don't have to join me, you know," Lorelai said. "What if we sleep the night away? This couch is a bit too comfortable, if you ask me."

"Really? So how much coffee did you have on the way here?"

"Why?"  
   
"Your bladder will wake you up in a couple of hours or so," Paris predicted. "And I could use a little rest myself. Besides, I think we blew the movie plan by now."

"We weren't in a movie mood," Lorelai surmised. "More of a talking mood."

"I don't mind the talking. As a matter of fact, it is beyond refreshing that we can talk like we do. When I was with Jamie, I was more the conversation starter than him because he wasn't so open with his feelings."

"I guess he didn't enjoy having a girl who loves to speak her mind," Lorelai shared as she wrapped an arm around Paris, placing it on her stomach. "I enjoy talking to you, Par. I had this fear for the longest time that holding a conversation would seem hard with you. I mean, you're learned. You're like a walking encyclopedia. I don't care for long boring books or dead languages, so I just felt that I couldn't talk to you on a basic human level."

"You were scared to talk to me?" Paris shook her head. "I suppose I can be a little bit cold and distant."

"That's not it, though," She closed her eyes, taking a sniff of Paris's vanilla shampoo as her lips brushed the blonde's earlobe. "I just...I don't know. I feel like I can talk to almost anyone, but with you, it was hard to at first before that afternoon, because you never really show your emotions. You're not usually so open, and I always thought...well, I'd be too simplistic for you. And of course, I didn't know I had this hard sexual desire until then."

"Lor, we're talking now, right?"

"Mm-hmm."

"So what does that tell you?"

"That you can make a better second impression?"

"Exactly." Fumbling, she found the remote control for the lighting system, and turned it off so that they were enveloped by darkness. "Now let's sleep. We have a few more hours to ourselves after that."

"I can't wait," Lorelai murmured, before she laid a simple kiss on Paris's neck. "Going to sleep well."

"Both of us." The two women fell asleep fast on the couch, both enjoying that they were there, together, without anyone's interference. Lorelai was so thankful to the girl for thinking of her and hoped that when she woke up, they could do just a bit more than making out.  
   
 _I don't know why I'm falling so deep for her, so fast_ , Lorelai thought to herself, not wanting to stir, but feeling very comfortable holding the small woman in her arms. _This is so much different than my other relationships...  
_    
She paused as it came to her what exactly she was describing in her own mind. She hadn't voiced out the exact word yet out loud, but what she had with Paris definitely felt like what she thought it was. _Only more organic, and natural_. The innkeeper, bound to think about the schematics later, closed her eyes and let herself fall asleep, just wanting to be in the moment rather than the whole thing for now. There was plenty of time to hash out things later. For now, they were just a girl and another girl, finding themselves with a natural attraction to each other that was developing in the way Lorelai always hoped to fall in love. Not by force or through the usual template of dating, but just between themselves, no one else.  
   
Paris looked towards the flashing television screen, closing her eyes as she flipped it to channel 3 so she could wake up to the news at 11. She felt very relaxed about everything, and was ready to make her next move already as she closed her eyes and smiled, falling asleep and enjoying the touch of Lorelai against her back and her bare stomach. She had hopes that the rest of the evening would be just as wonderful as the early portion of it.  


* * *

 ** 11:15pm, Media Room  
**   
If there was one thing Lorelai was awful at, it was waking up. The many alarm clocks she went through the years with were a testament to that, either thrown against the wall, or worn out early because the buzzers petered out from not being snoozed. She enjoyed sleep so much, and though she eventually was up by 6:15, most of the time, it was because Rory had to wake her up.

But she usually slept alone. Nothing to curl up with or someone else sharing their heat with her. So she made do by herself, and enjoyed the fact that her large bed was just that, hers.

She was feeling awfully odd this evening, however. She could have sworn there was some kind of weight against her earlier in her subconscious, but later on, she seemed lighter. She couldn't understand it.  
   
Then slowly her three coffees before seven entered her bladder, and her slumber was slowly disturbed, until she found that her eyes were slowly fluttering back open, while her body was finding it harder to stay comfortable. Before she could go back to sleep again, the irresistible stir pricked at her inside, and she was forced to wake up unless she really loved the idea of lifetime dialysis. Lorelai's hair was a bit of a mess as she tried to prop herself up on the couch, and she felt all out of it, not knowing where she was at first.  
   
The first idea of her unfamiliarity was that she knew she began the nap on her left side. Stretching out, she was facing the back of the sofa.

"Where am I?" she asked aloud, in a strained voice. "That was so comfortable." She stretched out, and then it came to her just then that she was in Paris's media room.  
   
And also, that she was free to stretch.  
   
Because Paris was not in that room.

At first, she began to panic, sitting upright on the couch, and then feeling her bra dig hard against her chest. She let the straps out a bit to relax herself, and took a 270° look around the room to see if she was in it.  
   
"Crap, where is she? Uggh, don't tell me she left without me." She was completely lost in the room, only remembering where she was based on memories from the early 80's of Herschel Gellar, a younger brother of Harold, Paris's father, throwing a party in the mansion, two years before Paris was born. It wasn't much of an event because the guy threw a lousy party, but she still remembered it. She bit on her lip, wondering where Paris was, if she had left, or God forbid, lost interest in the woman and headed to bed in her own bedroom.  
   
But then, Lorelai looked down at the table as she heard WFSB's weatherman lead into the jet stream track. She didn't know why, but she was suddenly caught on something next to her handbag. Bending down to investigate, she picked the remote for the lights up off the table and brightened the room just enough so that she wouldn't be startled.  
   
A small piece of paper laid next to it, _read me..._ written in Paris's rushed, yet elegant tall script. Lorelai plucked it from the table and unfolded the note, seeing what it had to say. It was a short note, but told her all she needed to know.  
   
 _Lor,  
   
I'm downstairs. Sorry for not waking you, but you seemed comfortable. I'm sure to see you at 11:30 if I'm not mistaken.  
   
Par  
   
PS - Bathroom is the second door on the left on the way to the staircase.  
   
_"OK, she knows me way too well," Lorelai surmised as she threw back on her shirt and indeed felt that sting in her bladder letting her know that she really needed to use the facilities. She wondered where eventually she'd find the girl in the labyrinth that was the Manor. Still, she was thankful for the three hours of rest she did receive, and to be the one currently holding Hartford society's best kept secret made her feel as if she needed to be trusted.  
   
Quickly she used the bathroom and washed her hands, nervous about seeing Paris for the third time that day. She had noticed looking for her bag earlier that Paris's jersey was still on the ground, but nothing else, which was odd to Lorelai since she assumed the girl couldn't leave a room without a shirt on, judging from her past habits of being introverted and afraid to think that she was beautiful beyond an average level.  
   
"Of course, she might have just forgotten," Lorelai surmised as she headed down the grand staircase towards the front grand hall within the rotunda of the mansion. She felt as if she was time traveling back twenty years to the sterile nature of the Gilmore mansion and her time living within it. She felt like she was damaging the carpet below her feet with each step she took, and was reminded of how spare artwork decorated Emily's walls, beyond a few family pictures here and there. Sharon Gellar was not much more different, as inoffensive nature scenes in frames defined the hallway of the staircase instead of the family photos she was expecting. Lorelai held the railing tight, lingering slowly before she went to search for Paris downstairs. The light leading down was dim just enough to guide her, and she saw the clear white light of the moon cast shadows against the wooden walls and décor of the Manor. She took each step slowly, hopeful there wasn't a failing step below her.  
   
When her right foot hit the landing, she took a look both ways, first into the living area, and then towards the kitchen area of the mansion, trying to find the girl. Looking both ways, she listened for signs of life. She could hear neither clanging from the dining room, or the blare of a television in the living room.  
   
"Uggh," she groaned. "I think I'm totally lost." She had no idea where to go next because Paris hadn't given her a grand tour of the home just yet. Sitting on the steps, she tried to think of exactly what she meant by 'downstairs' in the letter. It could be almost anywhere, even the garden for all that she knew.  
   
Certainly, she couldn't put it past the girl to be in the library. She got up, softly padding her socked feet on the cool polished marble flooring below her feet, buffeted occasionally by a fine rug. She tried to guide herself based on the spare directions from the party twenty years ago, but since décor changed in those years, she couldn't find her way at all.  
   
Ten minutes later, she was beneath the staircase in a small corridor. She had covered most of the floor, unable to find Paris. She still hadn't checked the only room left that was unlocked, the pool room. Which made her wistful about the past.  
   
The big reason she had gone to that party in her teenage years was to enjoy one of Hartford's most prized and private indoor pools. The Gellars, having made their money in medicine, of course believed in good health, and Paris's grandfather, when he was young in the 30's and jealous that FDR had a fine pool room put in the White House, decided to build his own on the site of a former Manor garden. He had hired the finest architects and minds to build the glass-roofed pool room, and ever since, Hartford society had been jealous that the Gellar family had the finest private pool in all of Connecticut.  
   
Not that any of the current kids knew that at all. Even as younger generations of Gellars felt free to open up the pool to every party under the sun, Paris was very less than accommodating about using it to further her status. So through the 90's and into the new decade, it was just a pool for the family to use, along with occasional Daughters of the Civil War events thrown by Sharon. It was still maintained in immaculate condition, but the days of it being the sight of many of Hartford's future scions finding their loves within its warm 88° waters were gone.  
   
Lorelai opened the glass doors leading out to the pool, breathing in deeply the scent of chlorine which hit her nose from the moment she opened the room. She still felt like an intruder despite Paris's invitation, uneasy about wandering the halls of her home despite the candor and understanding they were building with each other. Taking in the dimly lit room, she entered the main portion of the room feeling like it was 1983 all over again.  
   
Beyond the furnishings, the addition of a flat-panel television on a wall in a corner currently turned off, and strings of amber LEDs which had replaced the old strings of Christmas-like lights, everything seemed so familiar. Nothing had changed. The pool glowed blue from the lighting beneath it, wide and perfectly deep for everything, including diving and wading. Four steps in a corner which had a distant view of the Hartford skyline to the east led up to the whirlpool tub which seated six and was likely the site of many first meetings between Hartford teenagers back in the day. All Lorelai needed was her favorite rainbow colored swimsuit, and she could remember the fun she had in that pool.  
   
But even more perfect to her in that moment was the realization that the moon was full, casting a bright glow from the glass skylighting above her. It set a beautiful scene for the woman, and she only wished that she could swim in it this evening.  
   
Though she had a feeling she wouldn't. _There's no way_ , she thought to herself. _Besides, I don't have a suit. Not even in the Jeep. She's a talker, not a swimmer.  
   
_"Why would she be here anyways?" Lorelai asked herself. "When I think of her, I don't think of swimming. She probably doesn't use it all that much--"

"Actually..." Lorelai found her out loud train of thought suddenly interrupted by a familiar smoky monotone. She darted her eyes towards the source of the voice, a corner of the room where the whirlpool tub hid the young woman from the other side of the room. "I'm in here taking eight laps, every morning at 6:15."

Lorelai walked towards the left side of the blue-tiled deck to get a look. "You are in here." She was in a bit of shock. "I read downstairs and thought a room, not here."

"I lost my mind for a moment while I scribbled my note to you, Ms. Gilmore," Paris responded, the green chaise lounge she lay on squeaking a bit. "I scrawled it on the coffee table, and to have you in the corner of my eye as I wrote it, my attention wasn't fully on writing the note and the correct details. I apologize if you had a goose chase finding me." She took her focus off what she was doing to kindly lecture Lorelai on the pool's dress code. "By the way, lose the socks."

She looked down and picked up a foot to yank the pink cotton from each of them. "Sorry!"

"Don't be." Paris's voice echoed through the room, sounding smooth and calm, unlike her usual tone where she felt stress with every word. "I came down here about an hour ago. It's such a beautiful night, and I don't want to waste it because we were both stuck in that dark little media room. I'd rather be out here, soaking in the moonlight and curling up with a good book while I waited for you to stir and wake up."  
   
"I kind of feel like I put a crimp on the night," Lorelai said. "I have to apologize that my sleeping schedule has suddenly gone crazy."

"Why should you?" Paris asked.  
   
"Because it's affecting what you probably had planned for this evening," Lorelai explained, meeting the older teenager face to face for the first time in hours. "We got all warmed up before, and--"

"No, I mean, why should you have to apologize for waking up in the middle of the night because you've had such an erotic dream of me?" She turned around, folding over a page in a paperback to mark her place as she eyed up Lorelai. "You keep blaming sleep, the inn, and graduation as reasons for not being able to sleep well. I think I'm kind of disappointed in that."

Her theory, along with her appearance, caused a rare stutter in the voice of the innkeeper. "W-w-what?" She shook her head. "OK, you're not making any sense at all. I don't get to sleep lately, that's all. Many factors for that." She blushed, feeling Paris's heated brown gaze weigh down upon her. "I feel all screwed up without a set routine down lately. It's not getting ready, go to work, go home, relax and sleep anymore."

"Trust me, I understand that now, Lor," Paris said, stretching out in the lounge chair. "For fifteen years, I've been stuck in routine, every day, every month, every year. It's been comfortable and perfectly accommodating to me. But this summer, I really just want to relax. Do things I never do, or could never do. Tell my mother 'fuck you' and say that her mandates for what I should and shouldn't wear don't matter to me anymore." Following the dark-haired beauty's eyes, she smiled, while keeping a finger of her right hand within the worn book. "For example, she would **never** let me wear this, because for some strange reason, she doesn't think I can pull it off. Neither can Madeline or Louise, something about how it plays up the girls too much or some kind of ridiculous excuse designed to make them look larger to guys while I get stuck in some boring one-piece print from Newport News." She bit down on her lip suggestively, teasing the woman. "Now if I could Polaroid that reaction you're giving me, I would have to say that I make all three of those ladies look kind of homely." She felt a sharp dizzy feeling within her stomach. "Would I be right?"

Lorelai usually wasn't the type to give another woman a compliment about their dress. It usually led to two things; either a tepid return of the compliment, or more often, some snide remark that of course they looked wonderful, that the outfit was meant to be that and to stay out of their business as to what to wear. It almost didn't hurt that Lorelai was usually the hottest woman to walk into a room and all the women outside of her friends knew they didn't have to say a word to the woman to flatter her further.  
   
But it was much different with Paris Gellar. Being stuck as the alleged homely one between two girls for so many years, Lorelai knew that Paris didn't have a good image of herself as she grew into her body. The chiding behind her back that she needed to lose a few of her womanly pounds, that she could do well with a breast reduction, to slim her hips, or have a smaller nose, there were many things that the girl had been told were flaws. She wasn't an 'it girl', just a plain young lady who would have to be content with someone who loved her more for her wits than her beauty.  
   
However, if there was one flaw that Lorelai could find in the two-piece swimsuit the blonde woman was wearing, it was that she hadn't seen Paris in it earlier. Her mouth was wide open in an "O" as she took in the girl wearing a two-piece swimsuit that didn't just make Paris look stunning and hot, but right in the league of a pin-up girl.  
   
It was a light brown color with a polka dot pattern along the bust and in the inner portion of the bottom, with a contrasting brown dot/white band pattern along the bands on both pieces. The halter top played up her bosom in such a way to make it look very flattering, giving the impression of limitless cleavage as the nylon material worked with her curves to Paris's advantage. She let her eyes rake over the bookish beauty, noting how the suit perfectly matched her dark skin tone and went so perfectly with her almond eyes. Her hair was loose and where Lorelai thought the girl was beautiful before, she couldn't take her eyes off from her at all. Taking her all in, long legs, slender knees, a full voluptuous figure that she would kill to own, Lorelai was so glad for her mother for once. If not for the annoying lunch, what happened afterwards as she gazed at the girl without any kind of filter.  
   
"More than right," she said in a whisper, sitting on the chaise lounge next to Paris, feeling extremely nervous. "That...oh my God." She recognized where exactly the swimwear came from. "Has someone finally figured out she has a pretty nice rack to show off?"

"Maybe." Paris smiled, feeling so flattered. "It's all Lou's fault. She gave me a $500 gift card to the Secret last week for a grad gift and I went a little crazy." She was enjoying the attention given to her. "You know though, my ass isn't so bad either." She turned around to give the poolside equivalent of the twirl to the woman, showing the ties of the halter and how the back flattered her small rear just perfectly.  
   
"Not at all." Lorelai smiled in appreciation of the beauty in front of her, then darted her eyes down to look at exactly what Paris was reading. "I see you spent your time waiting for me like I expected."

"This?" Paris lifted up the very dog-eared paperback with a tan cover. "Kind of appropriate, don't you think?" Lorelai laid her eyes on the cover, and was taken aback.  
   
"If Emily would have ever caught me with that book, I think getting knocked up would've been quaint to her." The woman blanched, reading the title on the cover. " _Delta of Venus_? Never would've figured you a Nin fan."  
   
Paris was pleased that the woman recognized the title. "You'd be very surprised what's on my shelves, Ms. Gilmore." She tossed her hair back. "Let's just say that Sharon and the used bookstore downtown I frequent? Not so much with the knowing what erotic fiction is." She explained that she was a part of book clubs online, basking in the anonymity of the Internet in order to discuss her love for erotic fiction, and how Amazon helped her seek out all the books that she wanted and desired. "You wouldn't believe how wonderful a community it is. The moderator bans the pervs looking to troll for dates, so all of us ladies and men into naughty writing can feel free to just share and look for new books to read. I know about three people in the group personally that I met in coffee houses around town. We're all just shy people looking for kicks."

"I always thought of you as bookish, but this..." Lorelai was so pleased. "This is just, a whole new dimension I'm seeing of you."

"Well just think about, Lor. I could buy some magazine with pictures, but what's the point? The picture is there and there's nothing you can do to change it, and you have to have some kind of gender wheelhouse to enjoy one, so it's like, here I am, right? I'm a girl just out of high school and I had a boyfriend, but I'm exploring with a woman. Unless I want to read a magazine specializing in threesomes, I have nothing to read. Erotic fiction on the other hand, there's something for everyone."

Lorelai listened intently to the girl as she described her points for her love of seductive words, and could understand where she was coming from. "So even with Jamie," she theorized, "you had the crush on me. And you thought of women on the same plane as guys?"  
   
"What you have to understand is, my mind is complex. I've never been one for simplicity. My brain, it's always thinking, never quiet, even in sleep despite whatever scientific evidence there is. And sexually, I've been muted, but my imagination is vivid." She felt open enough to share some secrets about her life nobody knew with the innkeeper. "When I was younger, Louise and I would kiss, just for fun. We were kids, it was silly, but it felt completely natural to me. We even did a little petting beneath our shirts to explore and teach each other because the sex ed teacher we had sure the hell wasn't going to demonstrate it for us." Going further, Lorelai was further enlightened into the mind of an intelligent girl who knew every single consequence of sex and navigated the hormonal maze of high school through her imagination. Paris explained her latent crushes on female authority figures, about how she'd effortlessly mix that with her want for Tristan along with thoughts she had of other girls. Knowing she'd no longer face the threat of being stuck in a locker by a vindictive student, she admitted to the woman her main reason for attempting membership in the Puffs beyond transcript prestige was a long-simmering sexual wanting for Francine Jarvis, one that flamed out when the redhead blamed her for the demise of the organization. How all through her high school years she loved women and men equally, but stayed on the other side of the fence in an unsuccessful attempt to prove to herself she was happy in a heterosexual relationship. Lorelai took in everything, and felt her high school years come back herself again.  
   
"I thought of girls all the time too," Lorelai shared quietly. "This one junior, Lydia Sherwood. She was one of the alpha girls at Hillside, and I yearned to be her. She was the captain of the girl's basketball team and was even taller than I am. But I was a girly girl and horrible at basketball, so I would have never worked out. I had a few friends I considered attractive, but after the pink line, they suddenly seemed to go away." She smiled oddly. "But you're in this age where you're made aware of lesbianism early, as if it's a natural part of life or used to get you tuned into a show. For me, it was never voiced out. It was subtle between Jo and Blair, there were some kids who were rumored at Hillside, but I never heard about it. And Chris..." She shook her head. "Sometimes I'm glad we broke up when we did. He called a few guys sissies because they showed affection through things like hugs, and I never understood his anger towards that and girl's sports. He absolutely loathed them as a waste of fields that could be used more for the football team."

"So, you'd say, you're awakening to this?" Paris crossed her legs. "That because you lived in a small town, intimate circles, I'm opening up your world."

"Yeah, you could say it like that." Lorelai felt warm, listening to the girl. She hadn't thought of another woman sexually in a long time, able to push attractions off to the sides as just spaces between her relationships. "I just never really thought of women like this. Maybe in dreams, but not as something I wanted to dwell on."

"Pretty much then, you've never had an attraction to your chef and co-investor?" She smiled a bit, unnerving Lorelai with her question as she had to think about Sookie in a different light beyond her best friend. She sputtered as she tried to explain it.

"Not...not with her at all. Oh, geeze, she's my friend, Par!" She groaned. "She has a kid and a husband and we never really got into thinking that way about each other." She had to turn the tables on Paris a bit. "Have you thought of your best friend in a wrong way then?"

"If you're talking about Rory, I admit I've dreamed of her and thought of how it would be. But she's just a bit too cheery for my tastes." Admitting it, Lorelai was surprised at the girl's candor. "The thing is, just because I find one certain woman attractive, doesn't mean I lust for every female. It takes a connection of some kind, an understanding, a bond that just works organically." She took Lorelai's hand into hers, and made close eye contact. "It's chemistry, need, desires, the friendship that goes beyond the relationship. So many factors have to go into thinking of a woman sexually before you ever consider it, and one variable can throw off the entire balance of everything."

"So...for Rory, it's her annoying optimism?"

"Exactly." Paris gave out another example. "As for Louise, I can't stand how blasé she is about relationships. She doesn't like to dwell on the small stuff, only the large gestures, the gifts, jewelry...the sex." She smiled. "Love her, but just as a friend because of that."

"And you enjoy the small moments, the simple gestures--"

"The limitless conversation where I don't need to drag out the index cards to have a good time." She felt warmed by how in sync she was with the innkeeper. "You invite me to talk, and I don't have to filter around you. I don't feel as if I have to dumb down, and though I know we won't ever have a long debate about cold fusion, I don't care." Paris bent down to place herself within Lorelai's space. "You let me speak, and give me all this breathing room to state my feelings. I like that my weakness won't be mocked. You understand where I come from, and to know that I have the ear of someone who knows my turmoil, that's incredibly heartening." She could smell the woman, the mix of her blanket's scent buffeted by talc and body spray, a soft fragrance. Her nostrils opened as she felt Lorelai's comfort once again near her, the want of seeing the woman in her soft moments.  
   
Lorelai pursed her lips, noticing the distraction etched on Paris's face. They were both in that zone, the one where no one else was stopping them, and she was incredibly comforted that the girl thought so much of her. That she was so intelligent with her words and used them in such a toe-curling way with her. Smart was quickly becoming sexy for the tall brunette. She took Paris's other hand into hers, as they sat across from each other on the lounges.  
   
"I think the thing that's been so interesting between us is that I don't have to dominate the conversation," she admitted, her clear blue eyes looking into the teenager's as if they had been close friends their entire lives. "It's refreshing to me, Paris. I have to keep on my toes, make a quip here and there just so that whoever I'm with isn't bored...or goes into a guy topic I hate." She huffed. "I've had a couple of sweet moments ruined by some car or TV boasting. In my world, 52" is just 4'4". It isn't a reflection of how much I should love someone just because they have a TV that size. And honestly," there was a twinkle in her eye, "I don't want to hear about inches in **any** sense on a date!"

Paris laughed out loud, imagining the woman cringing during a date with Max where he probably compared himself. The image was quickly pushed out for her own sanity. "Women don't need any inches, at all."

"Most certainly not. Unless we count vibrators, but then, a little bit does go a long way."

"I have one of those finger-sized 'personal massagers' they sell on informercials as a 'back massage aid.' Please!" Paris rolled her eyes skyward. "The moment I ordered it, I knew it wasn't headed anywhere external!"  
   
"No shyness?"

"I even told the operator that their ad agency just needs to get over it and say vibrator." Lorelai blushed, thinking herself of the girl watching the Discovery Channel at three in the morning, sleepless, cranky, and sick of Jamie, watching the ad and picking up the phone post-haste. Her eyes glazed over from thinking of the conversation. "It's a nice device, perfectly sized. But there's no way that plastic compares to flesh at all." Her voice curled as she began to get up, wanting to push the night even further. Releasing Lorelai's hand, she noted that her pupils raked over her healthy full figure, breasts and all. "Especially skin aged thirty-five years, like a fine wine."

"Why Paris," Lorelai said, stunned. "Are you trying to loosen me up?" Paris smiled.

"Just an observation." She straightened her suit, pulling the bottoms up and stretching the material that drifted up back down. "This is a beautiful pool, don't you think?"

The brunette nodded affirmatively, taking a look at her surroundings, seeing the lights reflect off the water and create the effect where the water seemed to create waves on the walls, further buffered by the moonlight. The undisturbed water was quiet and almost still, with only the filter and a small discharge waterfall stirring it a bit. Her blue eyes were wide, taking it in.  
   
"It hasn't changed," she said, nostalgic. "It's pretty much the same as I remember it."

"The warm water, the soft waves, the long, long swimming lane." The pool wasn't Olympic-sized by any means, but it was perfect for the large room, enough to swim and dive in. "I love it here, so much. I just feel the stress melt away when I can come in here and just do laps, over and over, until my body is sore, or just wade and float around." She saw the girl smile as she approached the deck. "This is my quiet place, my sanctuary. My mother isn't much of a swimmer so she'd rather not have a pool, but since we've got historical protection on the Manor, it's not going anywhere at all."

"It's a beautiful pool," Lorelai admitted. "There's one at my mother's house, but it's outdoors and always way too cold."

"So you didn't take a polar bear plunge on New Year's Day when you were younger?"

"Not when there wasn't any water in it." She kept her eyes on the blonde girl, taking in the full-figured beauty that she found herself warming up to often. The ties on the halter top looked so tempting, and the dark coloring of the suit seemed to blend right in with Paris's tanned skin. She was thoughtful, deliberate with her glances, trying not to show how turned on she was. Lorelai was in stone anticipation of where to go next with Paris, nervous about coming on too strong, but too light and the girl would think she did something wrong.  
   
"I see Emily as like my mother," Paris shared, sitting near the pool edge. "Overly cautious, always afraid, thinking more about herself than anyone else. I pretty much see you as never being able to go near the pool."

"Well, maybe occasionally, but yes. She always watched." Lorelai was stunned at how Paris's mind was always whirring, making those small notes and forming them back into factoids that were intelligent and pitch-perfect. "In all my years in that house, I never swam alone."  
   
"And you couldn't find yourself because of that," Paris spoke softly. "All you wanted through all those years was your independence, and Mrs. Gilmore never wanted to give it to you. She still thinks of you as a little girl, doesn't she?"

"Par...I don't mean to stop you, but what are you leading into?" Lorelai's voice was soft, trying to understand the point. The girl took a calming breath, making it seem like she was about to rebut with a long response as to her probing.  
   
Instead, she made sure her footing against the small tiling of the deck was true as she unbent her body quickly to make a shallow dive into the water. She smiled, knowing exactly where she wanted to go next with the direction of the night. She got up for just a second to parallel her toes to the pool, and before Lorelai could really react...  
   
SPLASH!!  
   
The wake of Paris's descent into the water came strongly back at the brunette as she got a twelve foot push into the pool, curling her body serpentine into the eight foot deep portion of the pool, which went as deep as twelve. Lorelai could only look on stunned as she saw the young woman's flawless entry into the warm water, not realizing that the wake had disturbed water over the edge, enough to soak the legs of Lorelai's jeans. She got up and darted away, feeling cool from the water soaking through the denim. Backing towards the lounge chairs again, she watched the girl make a smooth semi-circle beneath the water, her body curving within, and then rise up again near the deck as she broke the plane of the water effortlessly, her usually voluminous mane of hair now flat against her head.  
   
She had never imagined Paris as particularly smooth or coordinated at all, thinking of her as more in love with study than dancing. But her perfect push dive into the water had taken the woman by surprise, seeming so effortless and perfect. Paris took a couple breaths and smiled up at her as she pulled away from the edge to wade freely.

Lorelai bent down again. "OK, that's not the way someone who does a few laps enters a pool. You seemed like a professional."

Paris glowed from the compliment. "I have a pool, so I'm not going to put it to waste playing water basketball in the shallow end." The water dripped from her darkened hair, and glistened in the filtered moonlight. "I've known how to swim this well since I was eight, when I did the adopt-the-dolphin thing. I thought it wouldn't hurt that I could play my own lifeguard, you know."

"But you never considered it as a profession?"

"Yeah, and have my mom become worse than Dina Lohan? I want something to myself that's fun." She positioned herself to float on her back. "Besides, I have two very non-aerodynamic reasons I can't go further with swimming."

"True." Lorelai laughed shyly, trying to avert her eyes from Paris's breasts. "You look wonderful in the water," she complimented. "I mean, you look beautiful, no matter what, but this seems like a place where you feel most comfortable."

Paris nodded her head in the water. "No one can yell at me in here, or add any kind of pressure. It's just me, in water, you know? I can drift out into the middle and just be alone in my thoughts, dive into the water, have nothing but the hollow sounds of it surround me. Can't bring an iPod in, there's no way to write anything here, and I can just swim in here and let the world pass me by. As long as I don't prune up too much."

"I love that feeling." Lorelai was happy to hear about one of the girl's sanctuaries and how it kept her centered. "It just isn't the same in the bathtub though."

"It isn't. I actually dry up in a bathtub, so I'm more of a shower girl. After so many years of a swim followed by a shower, I'm too used to them to ever switch to a bath." She backstroked across the pool, focusing completely on Lorelai. "Working the arms and the legs, it helped me all these years walking the halls of Chilton with 20 lbs. on my shoulder and saddle shoes that would vex even Dr. Scholl. I just feel so free, and unencumbered in the water." Although she was happy, she was also a bit confused at still seeing Lorelai sitting on the edge of the pool.  
   
"You know, Lorelai, I did invite you here so we could spend time together."

Lorelai, distracted by the way the water made Paris's hair flow in interesting patterns and her words, was brought back to attention. "We are, right?"

Paris flipped over to swim back to the edge of the pool, and then looked up, her chin resting on her hands. "Together, being the key word."

"Paris, we're in the same room." The blonde shook her head, wondering if her whole 'Lorelai is a seductress sex freak' front was just window dressing. "I don't mind if you want to go for a swim."

"Really?" _She is not really that daft, is she?_ Paris tried to rationalize. "Well, I don't mind either."

"What do you mean?"  
   
"Ms. Gilmore, you really think I'd want you here if I didn't want you to swim?"

"I'd love to, but--"

"You're dressed and don't have a spare bikini in the Jeep. I know." She rolled her eyes.  
   
"Oh my God!" Lorelai was finally onto Paris's perfectly cunning plan. "You...you...how on earth did I glaze over that?" She remembered Paris saying something about taking laps in the pool before her invitation, but most of what she said before she made out with her in the locker room was quickly forgotten.  
   
"I told you to dress casually," Paris recalled, noting that a deep red blush was coloring Lorelai's cheeks. "Of course I didn't say what you had to dress in."

"Uggh, how could I forget?" Lorelai groaned. "If...if...auggh, it's all your fault, doing that spin and showing off that ass of yours. I know I would have remembered otherwise, but you just kissed me, I was warm in that locker room, and..." Paris glided to the edge of the pool, enjoying how flustered the tall brunette was becoming, pushing her legs together and suddenly getting the entire point of the pool invitation. "Great. I'm stuck here with nothing to wear to swim with you."

"You are." She smiled knowingly. "Nothing to wear."

"Why are you staring at me like that--" She stopped, seeing that the girl's eyes were lightened and glazing over as her imagination managed to strip away the layers currently denying the blonde a look at the woman whose topography she was learning to enjoy. Lorelai backed away from the deck a bit. "Umm...Paris?"  
   
"Yes, Lor?" She sucked on her lower lip, licking her tongue across the flesh, trying to appear innocent.  
   
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking you're thinking?" She narrowed her eyes towards the wet blonde.  
   
"What would I possibly be thinking?" Her cheeks warmed, a sign that she was holding in a fib. She also held back a temptation to laugh as she saw the woman's hand move nervously to the waistband of her jeans.

"Something that usually isn't allowed in a public pool, most likely." Her arms developed goosebumps, the woman becoming nervous for once from more than caffeine tremors. "What you're probably thinking, I've never done before. Ever."

"Never?" Paris's curiosity piqued.  
   
"Never ever," Lorelai made clear. "But you're in that water. I'm out here. Where does that leave us?"

"I don't know, but I want you in here."

"And you want me out of some things, right?"  
   
"Preferably, all things." She gave it to the woman straight. "You're not really that shy, are you?"

"Not usually, no." Lorelai brushed hair back behind her ear, while her other finger played at the fly of her jeans. "I just feel nervous about this."  
   
Paris felt her breath hitch as she saw a patch of skin along Lorelai's stomach. Closing her eyes, she felt her muscles tense while her heartbeat quickened. Just the very idea of wanting what she wanted to happen, it was enough to drive her up a wall.  
   
Also not helping? That she was just above one of the jets which blew warm water into the pool. Where she was wasn't helping empty out the corrupted images of the older woman out of her mind at all. She moaned when she didn't mean to, letting the three syllables of the Germanic name fall out in a drifting whisper.  
   
"Lorrrr-elll-aiiii..." She grasped at the edge of the pool hard with one hand, afraid to drift away. She felt her nipples constricting within her top, her body responding to the dream stimuli. She felt a bit embarrassed about feeling so flustered, but after two weeks without the woman, thinking about her sexually while in front of the actual person, she felt her iron defenses melting.  
   
"What do you want me to do, Par?" Lorelai slid the top button of her button fly out from the eye. "Do you want me to swim with you?"  
   
"Mm-hmmm." Lorelai began to feel her nervousness melt away as she saw the heiress begin to lose control of her stern front.

"Do you want me to do this?" She slowly lifted the hem of her shirt and slid it up along her slender body, letting her now-Chilton blue fingernails scrape along her ribs. "Take off my shirt for you...then my jeans?"  
   
"M-m-maybe." She seethed, pressurizing herself as the fantasy became reality. Lorelai undid the second button on her jeans, the pink edging of her panties coming into Paris's dampened view. The woman's confidence was coming back strongly. She pushed away from the jet and back into the middle of the pool, feeling too aroused to keep herself in front of the jet. The woman walked along the pool, stripping herself on the long-sleeve shirt with her eyes staying upon Paris's with each stroke, each movement towards the middle of the pool. Pulling it off, she tossed it onto the lounge chair and walked along the edge casually.  
   
"I think that you forgot to mention to bring a swimsuit on purpose," Lorelai inferred, warming as Paris treaded water in the middle of the pool, her eyes straight on her. "You know, it's not very nice to extend an invitation to someone and fail to inform them of proper beachwear." She slid the third button of her fly out. "I would've brought something nice to wear if that were the case. But now, I'm stuck, and I'm going to have to improvise." The lecture was muted by Lorelai's voice, sultry and soft. "And since I have no urge to steal something from your mother's closet, it looks like I have one of three choices..."

Paris took a deep breath as Lorelai pushed her jeans down her hips and her legs, to pool at her ankles. She stepped out of them, revealing the tall woman in the cotton bra seen before with matching bikini underwear. The new business owner felt extremely confident as she watched the girl of her dreams realize she was getting in over her head. The teasing of earlier was coming back to bite her, and now the woman held all the cards. Suddenly, it was Paris who was feeling the intimidation as she took in the beautiful woman in front of her. Her brown eyes were full of want for Lorelai as she took in the woman's gorgeous form in much appreciation.  
   
"You do have choices," she repeated, just to fill in the silence. Lorelai sat at the edge of the pool, dipping her legs in to test the temperature, which was just right for someone who loved warm water. The bra Lorelai wore pushed in her breasts, displaying her freckled cleavage in a provocative manner. She smiled towards the swimming girl, her pearlish teeth glistening and causing questions in Paris's mind she never had thought about before.  
   
Like why did she ever want Jamie in the first place.  
   
"I do." She bent forward and reached her hands back, moving them to the back clasp of her bra. "I actually have three choices, I think. Process of elimination, and each has a 33 percent probability of being the correct result, right?"

 _Oh God!_ Paris felt herself losing control of her emotions as she took in the woman's intelligent words. She couldn't believe that Lorelai Gilmore, of all women, was using statistical analysis to turn her on.  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
"33.33333 and so on," she corrected numbly, her brain still ever on the lookout for some kind of error.

"Just a number," Lorelai shot back. "Numbers define us, and sometimes they bring us together." She stretched out the clasp to bring the two ends apart. "Like the first choice. I don't know if you want this one, because it seems a little far-fetched in a situation like this." She released her hand, and began to bring the straps down, Paris enraptured by the sight in front of her. "You keep telling me that we're all alone, that no one will walk in on us. I could totally keep this on, but for what?" Lorelai's voice softened. "I have a huge pool here and you're in here in a beautiful two-piece, and I have underwear on. As much as I'd like to dive in here with it on, you might be disappointed." The bra was completely down, pushed in, barely shielding the woman's small breasts. "Besides, I suspect that the chlorine in this water would do a number on the color." Paris couldn't take her eyes off Lorelai, salivating as she slowly exposed her flesh in the humid room, the woman letting herself get used to it as she slid her hands down until the cups of the lingerie no longer were placed against her. She let the straps slide from her arms, and then took the bra into her right hand, setting it to the side and letting a warm blush rise through her.  
   
 _Oh, I hope this is right_ , the brunette thought, watching Paris's bottom teeth peek out as she bit on her lip. She was a master of flirting, but never like this. Not when she had such an impression to make, on a young woman who had been through a relationship where she wasn't allowed to come first or indulge in anything she may have wanted.

"Oh my." That was all that Paris could say as she took in Lorelai nude from the waist up. Seeing her before, she was beautiful. But in front of her in the pool, it was unbelievable. Sitting on that edge, gazing at Lorelai bending each of her fingers nervously, Paris was utterly infatuated with this comforting woman. Her body was warm, her muscles completely taut, both from the sexual tension and the force of the water against her.  
   
"I...I..." She couldn't say a word, and Lorelai took that as her cue to further things. She slid into the pool feet first, the temperature contrast not shocking her at all. Using one hand to guide herself in, she felt a calm that she couldn't explain as the water rose above her waist. Lorelai felt commanding, and she glided in the rest of the way, then judged where she was, stretched her hands out, and directed herself towards the blonde, moving towards the shallow end of the pool.  
   
She knew what was about to happen. It was inevitable, and the point of no return was gone. She swam slowly towards the other end as Lorelai surfaced, following her across the expanse of water with the same stroke, her mind spinning with the knowledge that her love was in her pool topless. Her heart was pumping hard, her hormones spinning all over as she felt the tightness build.

The brunette kept her thoughts fully on catching Paris, taking each stroke slowly, enjoying the feel of the water against her bare skin. It was a freeing feeling, something that made her feel sixteen all over again. She took a look at where she was, about ten meters away from Paris, who was now clinging to the other side of the pool in a section with four and a half feet of water, waiting for the woman to come for her.  
   
At least at that moment. As Lorelai was about to close in, Paris's foot turned to make a jump off the pool floor for a glide away from the woman. She laughed as she felt her body elongate within the water, and turned to see Lorelai where she had been, getting on her feet and a bit frustrated.  
   
"Oh, you're not gonna get away that easily." Evilly grinning, she attempted to catch up to the blonde with quick strokes in the water, trying to catch up to Paris. She couldn't however, and then Paris laid down the gauntlet for the woman to grab at her. Stopping within the middle of the deep end, she smirked at the woman, knowing she was safely away from Lorelai just before she prepared for a new getaway.  
   
"Catch me if you can!" She laughed, beginning to circle the pool at the edge, and Lorelai took her bait, swimming behind her but still at a distance away, unable to find a way to get a hold of Paris. She grumbled under her breath about the blonde being a 'slippery girl', and for five minutes, found herself guided into an unexpected workout of her arms and legs trying to get the teenager back close to her, but failing. She was indeed being teased, and a couple of times when the older woman was in the deep end, Paris swam _under_ her, diving deep to the floor of the pool and then coming back up in a torrent of giggles.  
   
Finally, Lorelai paused in the middle of the pool, having found herself a new plan. She was going to lie in wait, make Paris think she was swimming...  
   
And before long, Paris became ensnared in her trap. She dove under the water in a corner of a pool to get some speed, but Lorelai was paused in the seven foot area, ready to surprise her. Lorelai took a few breaststrokes towards where the two women would meet, and when Paris came up for breath, she had no choice but to stop due to the obstructing woman in her way. She attempted to swim around, but instead her space was surrounded on all sides. She had no choice but to begin to wade in place, and Lorelai took advantage of it. Smirking, hair dripping with water and confronted with the innkeeper braless and wet, Paris couldn't help but give in as her rushing heart thumped with want as Lorelai wrapped around her, the both of them moving towards the shallow water.  
   
"I got you," she said softly. "You are a really good swimmer," Lorelai complimented, looking down at the shorter girl, enjoying how well her tan stood out within the pool lighting, and beginning to wrap around her.

"You're not too bad yourself." Paris pushed wet hair out of her eyes, extremely surprised with how Lorelai was able to keep speed with her. She had been in the pool with Madeline and Louise, and Marco Polo games with them had often been fruitless exercises in frustration. Liquid dripped from the tip of her nose, and Lorelai inexplicably found herself drawn to brush a building droplet from the feature, caressing her thumb across it. If Paris could have never thought her nose was possibly an erogenous zone, that misconception was quickly put to rest with a guttural moan aroused from her throat at the slight touch. She seethed through her mouth, tightly closed, feeling wound and tired from the swim, along with warm and wanted as Lorelai pressed herself up against the smaller young woman. The clear eyes of the hotelier were only focused on the future Yalie, taking in her soft features and proud jawline, and her flushed cheeks. Wrapping around Paris, Lorelai dared to place her hands at the small of Paris's back, resting her pinky against the waist of the suit bottom. The tension between the two women was building, the hours without each other proving to be their undoing. The innkeeper pressed her chest against the smaller woman, and moved to bring her into a deep kiss that was slow at first, exploring, soft and caring. Quickly though, it became rushed and torrential, Paris returning it with the zeal she never had with Jamie. She sucked at Lorelai's lip, trying to discover what made the older woman cave down, making her moan. Her own hands explored Lorelai's bare back, and the reveled in the tallness of the other woman, watching her emotions with each touch, Lorelai's heartbeat picking up, the usually quippy woman unable to rebut at all that she was being ruined as the kiss further deepened to the point Paris had her up against the wall.  
   
Water dripping from their hair, they explored, tasting and probing, feeling the heat build. Lorelai tried to keep her hands neutral, at Paris's side, but soon found her thumbs at the side of the halter top, gasping out that she wanted to undress the girl but holding back for her personal sanity. She felt a shock as Paris dared to dip her right hand right into her panties, along her hip, the bare skin contact electric and unlike she ever felt before. She shivered as the water cooled her skin involuntarily, and wanted to push the girl further.  
   
There was nothing she could do though. This was Paris's home, and she had to cede to the blonde. Paris kissed all along her jawline, and then moved her mouth towards Lorelai's ear. Nipping at the lobe after weakening the 35 year-old so much she'd probably eat anything voluntarily, she quickly learned that even with all of her quippiness, Lorelai had awoken the sleeping giant that was Paris's formerly dormant libido. She was asserting her control of the evening, of how she had learned so much about how to please a woman, and was ready to demonstrate it with ardor.  
   
Her monotone in Lorelai's ears sounded like the call of a siren. "It's been two weeks, Lor. Two weeks without you. Two weeks of suffering, of missing you, of recalling those digits against my clit, frigging me off in a way I never expected. Of comfort sex that made me feel sane again, and which I've craved. Everywhere." She began to push the woman's panties down into the water, her hands directing in a 'V' towards the older Gilmore's sex. "During several exams, after I finished, I rubbed my thighs together at the desk, remembering you. How you make you me feel, that you've opened me up to the possibilities." Lorelai gritted her teeth as fingers circled around each of her lips in a circular motion, whimpering from the touch. "In bed, your panties in my pillow case, I'd bring them out, take a sniff of them, come back to what we did, what you did to me. How you brought back my drive. Your scent, your taste, your passion...." She left lilting kisses and licks down her cheek. "Do you do wicked things in your bed? Do you think of me, on top?" More soft kisses, wet, full of passion. "My weight on you, my breasts in your mouth, hearing my cries. All these years, stuck having to satisfy your daughter, but never yourself." She let the word slide slowly from her mouth, hissing. Knowing her word play turned Lorelai on.

"Fuck!" Lorelai bit out harshly. "Par...yeah..."  
   
"I keep going back to that first time we saw each other," Paris husked. "Whipping out of Ambrose, in those jean shorts and pink shirt. Very unprofessional dress for a first day of school," she scolded teasingly. "But it brought my attention towards you. I don't know why, or why I stuck with it. You kissed Max in the classroom..." A slow buss. "I was there." She guided Lorelai towards the direction of the ladder. "I don't know why I'm so drawn towards you. Maybe it's how rebellious you are, how I've always heard about this 'ungrateful spoiled little bitch' from the 80's who kept skipping her etiquette classes and would sneak out of the house at all hours of the night, along with being so independent, never letting anyone get to you at all. I guess you could say..." She paused to grasp at the railing of the ladder, then with her other hand, shocked the older woman by grasping her right side, letting part of her hand rake across her breast.  
   
"I think I might have a thing for the bad girls." She tugged at Lorelai's earlobe with her teeth, and then suckled at it, hoping to ire a reaction from her lover.  
   
She got it, seethed out through a tightened voice. "Girl?" Lorelai wondered, thinking she was wrong.  
   
"I mean what I say." She let a smirk play across her lips. "Whatever you've done with guys, it doesn't matter to me. You've explored, gone over that territory multiple times, and it's all old hat. But I'm catching you on an upswing. This is new to you, being intimate with another woman, and really, I feel comfortable thinking of you as young. I mean if you were fifteen right now, you'd probably be stuck on Adderall because you have this energy going everywhere and anywhere."  
   
"I do." She laughed softly at Paris's observation. "But I can hold my attention, I think."

"You can." She felt Lorelai's hands on her waist. "I highly doubt, for instance, any of your men have been able to hold themselves out for more than three hours on a date. I actually let you sleep."

"It was very chivalrous of you." She stared at Paris, warming from the heat building between them. "I guess that's the advantage of youth, you're more careful."  
   
"If that's what you want to call it." The blonde challenged the assertion. "Careful between us doesn't work. We both took a risk in that classroom reading those cues that were hidden."  
   
Lorelai was unsettled at the description. "So you don't intend to be careful?"

"In what sense?" Those words had created an opening. "Because of course, I can handle hiding us. That's not the problem here. But what do you want to do with me, Lor?" She snagged her bottom lip with her teeth, looking for the further signs to heat the flirting.  
   
"What do you want, Par?" She wondered back. Her mind was short circuiting, and she couldn't seem to find the words to express her desires. Her eyes darkened, Lorelai felt the pool push against her in all directions, the flow of the water another distraction beyond the hand between her legs.  
   
The blonde smirked, holding a smile, challenging her older partner. "My wish for the evening has already come true, Ms. Gilmore." She pushed the taller woman against the wall, her hands on each hip. "I was able to get my college choice off my chest."  
   
"That's it?"

"Truly, that was my main aim. But it was a means to an end. An excuse to get you here. You came tonight, and that's all that matters." Paris was thankful that instead of a ladder, the climb out of the pool was on a gentle slope of steps as she guided a willing Lorelai towards that direction. "But it's more than that, how in just two meetings you've become the friend I've needed and wanted for so long."

"So you do consider us friends," Lorelai said, nervous. "I...didn't know for sure."

"We are," Paris proclaimed, whispering, her fingers maneuvering towards the deep curve of the small of Lorelai's back. "I consider you my friend, Lorelai."

"Me...me too." Lorelai treaded carefully up the steps. "Good friends."

"Unexpected friends." Paris focused on her lover, enjoying the short and abrupt banter. "I'd like to think to an extent more than just friends in the classical sense. We're more like...women of convenience to each other." Up another step. "You have Sookie busy with her son, while Rory is in gloating mode. We both get the shrift because our lives don't have the drama. So we create our own."

Lorelai felt courageous, sliding her hands up carefully to grasp at Paris by her side. "Harvard rejection is drama though. And what if I hadn't got the Inn?"  
   
"I think we still would have done something," Paris declared hopefully. "Maybe a little more muted. But there's tension between us. It's hard and unmoving." _She should do an audiobook_ , Lorelai thought to herself as she heard Paris's deeply sexual voice. _An erotic thriller. Maybe something from that writer of the Stephanie Plum books, those would be in her wheelhouse_. Her blood flow seemed to be nowhere near her brain at all as Paris talked. "In the settings we've done it, we dealt with the drama. We moved on to the raw feelings and laid it all out there."  
   
Paris felt a chill against her skin as she came up from the water, but ignored it, buffered from the heat of Lorelai against her. "We are friends with an understanding, that work or school is priority one right now. But we still need fun. I especially need it."

"All work and no play does make someone dull." Lorelai whispered the cliché, Paris guiding her towards the whirlpool. "You haven't played enough. No offense."

Paris withered her stare, but still laughed softly. "Are you saying I'm in this for the fun?"

"I hope I'm giving you fun."  
   
"Plenty of it." Paris kissed Lorelai, the feel of her lips upon hers so addicting. "I deserve this fun."

"More than deserve it. You're owed, hon." Out of the pool, Lorelai dared to dip her index fingers within Paris's suit bottoms. "I really can't stop thinking about you. It's insane."

"Me either." The women moved towards the whirlpool hurriedly, careful to keep their footing on the deck and towards the steps leading to the pool. "How bad do we have it?"  
   
"Bad enough," Lorelai said. "I wore that shirt you wore to bed last Sunday in town, unwashed, just to give myself a taste. After four hours out there, you can just imagine how turned on I was. Knowing you wore that shirt. That I seduced you in it..." She looked down, the feel of Paris's skin against her palms heating her up. "God, Paris. I go to bed and smell you, and I can't stop replaying that night, over and over again. In various ways, in different ways of dress."

"What do you prefer me in?" Paris wondered. "Now that I've graduated I think I'm mothballing the uniform for a bit."

"The uniform didn't really do that much," Lorelai admitted. "How could it? A big blazer over a parachute of a skirt? Sorry to say, but in that classroom, it wasn't the uniform that was drawing me to you, it was something else altogether."

"Surely it did play some role." Lorelai shook her head.  
   
"Only after you began to unbutton it. But our touching, that triggered it. Feeling your body against mine, the hug, it was not the uniform. It was who was underneath it, and you're more than that." A soft whisper, Paris's eyes lingered across the freckles dotting across the older woman's chest. "I mean at the time, it was hot and heated in that room. That's not in doubt. But I just expected you in a hug to be angular and cold, that you wouldn't have welcomed it. But I was surprised. You...you just didn't know how to hug, that's all, and when you fell into it naturally, it all came together." A pause while Lorelai wiped her hand across her forehead. "I just had that image of you, and to find out you were...um, zaftig beneath it all, it was a nice surprise."

"I'm impressed. Getting out those million dollar words for me." Blushing at Lorelai's compliment, she moved to break apart so they could both safely ascend the steps. "So, not the uniform."  
   
"I can't say a specific outfit does it for me, Paris. I'm sorry. I just know that what we stumbled into within that classroom, I enjoyed it, and now I want more." She felt matter of fact about her opinion, pleased to admit that it wasn't what Paris wore, but who she was that mattered much more than anything else. They both walked up the steps and Paris felt the steam hit her as she sat down at the edge of the pool, easing her legs into the water and feeling the heated water warm her body. Immediate relaxation came to her as she felt the water surround her, and she watched the brunette also dip in carefully.  
   
The water was immediately therapeutic to the older woman. She let the warm liquid inundate her and sat down on the seat within the tub, feeling stress melt away for the first time since she could no longer take advantage of her assistant manager duties at the Inn to partake in the Honeymoon Suite's tub. It was a weekly ritual for her to use the tub, an hour used to meditate on her life and prepare herself for things ahead within the next week.  
   
Of course, she was usually alone in those circumstances, and in a swimsuit. But in this situation, it was a heavenly thing to be in Paris's whirlpool. She closed her eyes and stretched out her arms on the warm tiled deck of the tub.  
   
She shuddered as her muscles seemed to collapse. "I take it...this is your form of therapy outside of the concept of therapy itself."  
   
"Mm-hmm," Paris answered, taking in her lover while her face built a blush from the warm steam. "I even had the alarm company wire something up so that when I turn off the alarm to get in the gate and house after school, I can start the heating element for the tub. Took them a couple tries, but they perfected it, and since then..." She sloshed her arms around a little to coat her neck with warm water. "It never gets old. That feeling of sliding in and having someplace to relax before you prepare to hit the books hard. I could never start an essay without soaking in here."

"I can see why you love it in here," Lorelai whispered to her, opening her eyes slightly to land upon Paris's plump lower lip. "This is the ultimate in relaxation. All I need is a back massage and--"  
   
With those words, Paris stopped her from speaking any further. "Say no more." She directed Lorelai towards her and had her sit in front of her lap, on the floor of the tub. "Now just go all the way in. You won't be under water all the way." Lorelai complied, and Paris smiled as she sat on the floor, with her mouth a few inches above the surface. She received a surround effect from all of the jets swirling around her, and then Paris placed her hands on the innkeeper's sore shoulder blades. Sensing the tenderness in her muscles, she made slow circles with her thumbs on the shoulders, while doing the same with her lower palms on her upper back, rotating clock directions with a soft 10-1 countdown. Lorelai let the warm water and bubbles swirl around her as Paris took much advantage of the opportunity presented to her to further the romantic gestures she was becoming expert in.  
   
"Oh my God...God...Paris." If there was one highlight in Lorelai's dreams she kept replaying, it was the ankle massage when she tripped. Her mind was mush as Paris gave her a thorough deep tissue rubdown, kneading her shoulders, her upper back, lower back. Within the pool the effect was amplified. Lorelai was silenced, unable to respond beyond appreciative grunts and gasps forced from her throat. She knew now that even if she wasn't tired, she couldn't go home. Paris's slender fingers on her spine were such a relaxant, along with how soft her words were as she admitted another one of her confessions from the last two weeks.  
   
"I really couldn't stop thinking about you," she seethed. "I bet I smell like sex all the time."

"I don't know."

"I do." She cleared her throat. "I've been so hormonal because of the heat. I can't wear clothes in my bedroom. I keep it hot in there to have an excuse to disrobe, to be damp, sweaty, full of hormones. I even had a small stair climber put in under the guise of my mother thinking I wanted to lose weight. But it wasn't. I worked out on it for a half hour until I soaked through the tank top and workout shorts, to recall when you fucked me against your fridge. I loved it. Fuck, I get wet hearing that tear all over again in my mind."

Lorelai was stunned and stumbled over her words. _She got off to me being aggressive. Oh my God. It was just an accident!_ Trying to explain her behavior, she felt somewhat contrite about being so aggressive to a younger woman.  
   
"P-p-par, you really should have pushed yourself away from me," she explained. "I had no business doing that. It wasn't acceptable--"

The other woman sighed, moving her hands lower down towards the small of Lorelai's back, while pecking small kisses along the nape of her neck. Her words were intent on being soothing, to show her intimate side was much different from her public persona.  
   
"You have no reason to justify that you were too aggressive. If I hated it, I wouldn't have teased you on the phone."

"But--"

"I would not have invited you here either." She drew a long cooling breath against Lorelai's neck, chilling the woman and driving her to a throaty gasp. "If you're afraid you're corrupting me, Ms. Gilmore, you're sorely mistaken. I've been trying to fall out of the girl I have been for so long. I've tired of being treated as complacent and boring. Jamie did that for so long and I just never felt attracted to him. There was too much pressure, angst, self-loathing that I was only in a relationship for the sake of having a relationship."

"Oh, Paris." Lorelai felt empathetic for the girl. "I don't think you're boring."  
   
"I know." Lorelai shuddered within the warm water, the girl behind her trying to show she could be passionate. "I know in the past you thought of me as beholden to regimen. But those days are over. I had to in order to survive in that school. But for the next three months, I'm not going to follow a plan. I'll just go where things take me. If my new thinking follows me to Yale, all the better. I need to learn to relax, and you're helping me to do so."

"But are you sure?" Lorelai still felt odd about Paris being so free from obligations. She was built on regimen and schedules, and she hated to be the one who would place Paris off her track. "I mean, what if you change your mind? You're going to realize that this is wrong and frowned upon, and you'll end up hating me because I lead you somewhere you didn't want to go."

She expected Paris to begin a rant that she wanted to change her mind about things. Instead, a nervous and slight giggle came from her, and she laid a couple more kisses upon her lover's neck. She was determined to see everything through, and would not allow Lorelai the privilege of her usual self doubt and the sabotage she learned to hone from years of trying to save her love life from ruining Rory's.  
   
Paris was an observer at heart. She knew Lorelai ran from Max when she realized a crimp in her relationship with her daughter would come. It was a part of her nature to be an outgoing flirt and then reel back when the reality and doubts set in. From the moment all those days ago that Lorelai had opened up and admitted she wanted more, Paris knew it was her goal to make sure she would keep the older woman away from her qualms. Wrapping her arms around the woman, she brought Lorelai close against her and whispered softly into the sensitive shell of the woman's right ear, letting her lips brush against the lobe purposefully.  
   
"My mind is made up, my dear. I really don't care what others think. For now, let's keep this to ourselves, and don't you dare think this is wrong. I am here, I want this, and I know deep down, you're the same." Lorelai could never get over how deep and incredibly sexy Paris's voice was. How such a simple woman carried a voice that was always filled with authority, but in the simple moments was sweet and drove her up a wall. It was enough to make her shudder from only her words. "If I only wanted to stay friends, I would have never kissed you."

"I know--"

"Then stop thinking about others, Lor." She was becoming serious. "They're not here right now. No one is. Just the two of us, here, right now."

"Paris, are you sure..." It was then that the younger woman released her grasp, tiring of her lover's doubts coming into play. She was sad to see that underneath all those good humored layers laid a woman in darkness, still self-crucifying herself for an error made nineteen years ago that only made her stronger. Breathing evenly, Paris encouraged Lorelai to turn around, to look at her eye to eye and doubt herself with Paris looking right at her. Moving to the other side of the tub Lorelai sat on the edge, looking down at the water and the steam rising above it, trying to shy away. She couldn't understand why she was suddenly trying to draw away from Paris, afraid she was taking things too far and too fast.

In the last few weeks, Paris had finally become assured in her sexuality, and being bold was working for her beyond what she ever thought. She wasn't like she was in that classroom, doubting Lorelai found her beautiful in any way. This was her being direct and open, trusting of Lorelai as her confidant.  
   
 _Time to take this up a notch_ , she thought to herself, worn out and feeling the effects of the warm water finally overtaking her. She relaxed, sliding over to sit next to Lorelai, the both of them on the side of the tub looking out the glassed façade of the pool room to the moonlit gardens. She brought her hand to tip Lorelai's head towards her, so they could see eye to eye. She moved in closer, letting her dark walnut eyes communicate that she wasn't having any second thoughts about what she wanted within the whirlpool. She tucked a wet strand of hair back behind her ear and took in the woman's delicate features, deciding to be bold in trying to woo her.  
   
"You shouldn't be nervous at all. I'm here, and open and willing to do anything with you." She pursed her lips, sliding her tongue along them to add a sheen of gloss. "I want to learn with you, to be guided and be fully open."

"I just...I don't want to hurt you," Lorelai said, softly, her eyes wide as she began to forget where she was. "I'm just thinking...and I don't know why I'm thinking this." She paused to compose herself. "I have to leave on Tuesday. Right when we're finding a nice thing, I have to leave. I hate it, because I feel like I'm..." shaking her head, Lorelai tried to be soft with the words she said. "You're here, I'm in Germany. And for the next two months, I'm gone. It's like I'm going to...to make love to you and run. I...you know what I mean, right?"

Paris nodded, knowing a term was left out on purpose. But she wasn't going to back off at all. She moved into the center of the whirlpool to move her flirting around.  
   
"There is a such thing as pen and paper, Lor. I'll be sure to give you my address in Idaho when I'm there, and I do have a private post office box which is for the mail I don't want anyone else to see." Paris laid it all outfor her. "You can be assured that just because there's an ocean between us, this does not stop tonight. I won't let it."

"So if you want me to...I can write you a dirty letter when I'm bored and you will answer it?" Lorelai's mood was quickly brightening. "That is, if you want me to, I--"

"After keeping me sane in exam week, I know I'll need you through the upcoming Gellar family reunion in early July," Paris joked. "I know you're worried. You think I'm going to find someone else this summer and when you come back, I'll forget this ever happened." She wrapped herself around the woman and brought herself close to her lover, sliding her hands within Lorelai's in a light clench. "But I can't, and I won't. This might have started sort of rudely with me bumping into a vacation planned fourteen years ago, but I figure I have time on my side. There's no need to rush. That two months will just give us time to consider if this is right, or if this was just a bit of senior fun I had to get out of my system, or your mid-life crisis. However..." She lowered her voice, pushing aside hair in Lorelai's face to look at her deeply bright eyes. "I am no longer a high school senior, thus it has extended beyond that term. Meanwhile, with the way you eat junk food, you passed your mid-life ten years ago."

Lorelai was of course offended by Paris's quip. "Hey!" She narrowed her eyes as Paris began to laugh deeply at her quip. "I'll have you know that this body has plenty of years in it. Hell, my goal is to get to the Tricentennial, that is if we have a Tricentennial. I mean who knows, we could be invaded by Canada and sorry, July 4, 2076 is four days after Canada Day. Just another day."  
   
"So you intend to die at the ripe old age of...108?" Paris smiled. "I really hope I can hold you to that."  
   
"If I go past, you owe me $5,000." She smiled. "Enough to pay for the hole digger's hourly pay if inflation continues how it is."

"I hope so." Paris laughed at the absurdity of the sudden conversation turn. "I guess I'd be 92 then. Still pretty young."

"And with that, I think we end this right here before I decide octogenarian sex is hot." She sunk into the tub, glad to be relaxed again. "Although I'd love to see how you look at 92."

"Umm, I don't think my alleged beauty can carry that long. I'm sure these," she pointed at her breasts, "won't look so good at that age."

"So I should probably enjoy them now?" Lorelai's eyes wandered to the younger girl's very apparent cleavage and she softly whistled towards them.

Paris shuddered, feeling a cold chill run through her as the emotional conversation began to melt away. It was apparent that the women had been ignoring their sexual needs far too long, but that the buildup through their talking and clothed making out only made their bond that much stronger.  
   
"I'm certainly not getting any younger," she dared, reaching behind to find the tie of the halter. "But I think I'm growing into my body."

"Stop," Lorelai said softly, moving towards Paris. "Let me." She took the young woman by surprise as she couldn't respond, feeling her sexual stride return instantly. Brushing her fingers along the back of the student's sensitive scalp, she heard her moan while letting her nails move down towards the tie of the halter. They stared at each other, Paris flushing from the attention of the other woman on her.  
   
Lorelai glided her finger along the thick strap towards the knot. "I don't know why some of your schoolmates ever cut down your body. I like this kind of shape. You're toned, but yet, still soft and supple, womanly."

"Lor..." Paris drew out her name. "You don't know how much pressure I get. I'm told all the time to lose some pounds."

"Don't." She brushed a kiss across her lips, undoing the loosening knot slowly. "You're beautiful as you are." Another kiss. Seething through her teeth, she enjoyed the girl sexually coiled, one hand in her hair as the tie loosened, the straps coming apart. "Very beautiful."

"You must think...I'm crazy." Paris tried to minimize the compliment. "I shouldn't be thinking like this, wanting an authority figure like you."

"I don't care. I want this...I want you." Lorelai's voice was a whisper, the steam rising off the water as her hands moved down Paris's broad back, taking in the girl's blessedly smooth skin. "Let yourself go for me, honey. Come on...you're free."

"I don't know."

"You are. No more teachers or books, and dirty looks? Soo history now." With her other hand, she let her fingertips brush against the blonde scalp, mews of pleasure sliding from the bookish girl's throat. "I'm never going to see you as just another girl ever again. Not after those times we've been together." She slid down to kiss at Paris's neck, then towards her right shoulder, now bared and teasingly hinting at the still contained cleavage below it. She suckled at the flesh, intending for the girl to remember her long after Tuesday, but still leaving kisses in places unlikely to be discovered based on Paris's usual dress. Her other hand moved to Paris's leg, rubbing circles along a thigh to begin to force her legs apart.  
   
"Damn..." Paris drew out the word tightly, wound up and stressed from the long hours of the day where she couldn't touch her lover. Since the meeting in the clubhouse she had tamped down her desire for her own sanity, but it could no longer be denied.  
   
"Are you gonna cum if I barely touch you?"

Paris nodded, her eyes tightly closed, her voice breaking from the overload. "I can't. This has to go slow."  
   
"We have all night." Lorelai untied the back knot of Paris's top, and it slid carelessly from her body and onto the surface of the water. Immediately she set her eyes upon the assets of her 'good friend', flushing from how turned on the other girl was. She tossed the top onto the deck, pushing Paris to the edge once again. "Time will pass slowly."

"I'm not ready to...oh God!" Paris involuntarily pressed her legs together as Lorelai's head bobbed under the water to give attention to one of her breasts. She tried to push her off, thinking it was too fast and too soon, but her heart was in control of her head. Lorelai grasped at her side and left small little nips at the hardened nub of her nipple, running her teeth along the ridge of the areole slowly, making Paris hyperventilate as the woman suckled it slowly. Her other hand moved to grasp at the swimsuit bottoms to take it down, but Paris didn't seem to be ready for that yet, batting it away.  
   
"Come on, give me...some time...ohhhhh...ohhh!" Lorelai continued to kiss at her for a minute before coming up for air. Immediately her eyes landed upon the reddened skin featuring a nice darkened mark where her mouth had just been, and a few small nip marks from where she teased the girl. Paris felt dizzy from the sudden physical activity, trying to catch her breath.  
   
She stared at Lorelai, shaking her head at the woman who was smiling her way and shaking water from her hair.

The other woman knew she had control. Paris had shuddered hard in her grasp, and she straddled above her, letting her hand break the plane of the water as Paris realized where she had seen that gleam in her lover's eyes before.  
   
 _Ohh...the fridge._ She remembered every moment of that encounter, the way Lorelai fucked her like she was possessed and unruly. The tear was in her mind all over again as the older woman brought down her voice, showing she knew what the young scholar wanted at that moment.  
   
"You don't want to stretch this out, do you?" Her fingernails scraped across Paris's left knee and up her thigh. "I know that one of your dreams has to always been to be taken in here."

"Nooo--"

"Because I remember when I was a teen, I wanted to fucked here too," Lorelai said, her eyes never wavering from Paris's quivering lip. "I didn't care by who, as long as they wanted me. I remember the parties, the envy I had at those who had an invitation to come here. I was always turned down because of a few snippy girls who hijacked the guest list from your Uncle Hershel. I know he wanted me here, but they wanted the boring cheerleaders, not those who were...a little wild." Paris's blood heated at the word. "I mean, just because I did a few pranks to them in the girl's locker room, or booed their boyfriends when I was at Hillside football games, now that's no reason to keep me from here, is it?"

Lorelai loved this feeling, of being open and passionate. Not having to hold back. If fear was in Paris's stare, it wasn't present as those blue-painted nail kept driving up her leg. She felt her pussy seem to pump with each moment with the woman, the anticipation that she was about to do something not done within that pool for years.

"I got in one though finally, and I had a blast. I had fun. What I didn't get though, was Christopher to ever do something more than silly horseplay. I wanted him to do things to me in here." _Fuck!_ "I didn't want him to play water polo with me. I wanted him to corner me in this tub and show me how much he loved me."

"To fuck you in the water," Paris croaked out. Lorelai nodded. "You wanted him to push your bottoms aside, plunge in...and take you."

"I wanted to see his seed rise up to the water," the brunette recalled. "I wanted him to ruin me, to show me he'd do anything for me. It was a stupid dream, and very--"

Paris stopped her, breathing heavily. "Reminiscent of what I wanted Tristan or Jamie to do to me."  
   
"You...you too?"

"I always assumed that my first time would be in this tub. In fact, I **expected** that it would happen. I planned it out at the end of February that I would have the Manor all to myself and I could seduce Jamie into here." She took in a deep breath. "But no. My first time ended up being in some cinder-blocked dorm room, all because I had this misguided idea that the problem with Rory was all Jamie-based and I was moving too slow. If she saw I was in a normal relationship that would make her think I was less insane. So I complied. And I now regret it."

"Paris?"

"Yeah?" Lorelai's index brushed against the crotch of her suit bottoms.  
   
"Your first time was a hot day in a Chilton classroom. That was just...pushing things out of the way." Lorelai's deadly glare penetrated Paris's guilt. "If you weren't into it, if it didn't feel right, or he never hit the right spot in you, I say that it was just you getting off with flesh. Nothing more."

"But--"

"Paris, you had sex with him. You didn't make **love** to him."

"Lorelai, what are you saying?" Her throat dried as she let Lorelai push aside her bottoms without argument.  
   
"That virginity is a damned cursed concept. It gives you all this angst, and for what? For a guy to spill into you the same way he strokes himself to a magazine? Jamie had sex with you. He loved you." Lorelai braced her hand against the wall of the tub, right over Paris. "But he didn't do more than what was required." A snarl in her voice, Lorelai was not less than truthful about her eye on everything. "How do you feel with me, baby?"  
   
In all of her months with Jamie, he never called her by that name. She was always 'Paris' or 'P', or her least loved nickname from him, 'Gel'. Nothing more than her name, ever. She tried names with him, cute names, but they were all rejected. "Just call me Jamie," he said during one post-coital.  
   
Lorelai dropped all pretenses with her. She was 'Par', and now she was her 'baby'. Not quite her girlfriend, but in that possessive way where Lorelai considered her to be a worthy partner in bed. It wasn't much, but for Paris, to have that validation that she was more than 'Paris', it was more than enough for her.  
   
In Lorelai's world, she was amazing, and more than that, her 'baby'.  
   
Paris's eyes were wide as she answered Lorelai's question, keeping it short and simple.  
   
"I can't feel with you. There's no way to describe it."

There was no doubt; Lorelai understood clearly that Paris thought of her as much more than just a one-night stand. She felt a jolt run through her spine, feeling a surge of emotion from the girl's heartfelt words. All of her doubts were gone, as the shy young woman before her looked at her pensively, her brown eyes welcoming and drawing her in.  
   
"So this is more?" Lorelai asked, trying to confirm her suspicions. Her breath deepened with Paris pushing back as far as she could to relax in the pool, while opening her legs, inviting the woman to fulfill her fantasy.  
   
Paris confirmed it with two simple words.

"It's more."

Nothing else was said as Lorelai slid her hand delicately into the swimwear, pulling the article down just enough to fit her finger in. She kissed the young woman, and kept her full concentration on pleasing her lover, pushing two fingers within the space. She pressed against Paris, her tall frame fitting perfectly against the petite woman. Bracing her at the small of her back, she soothed Paris further by rubbing against her spine in circles with each stroke. Paris tipped her mouth open and allowed Lorelai to make love to her in the way she had always imagined being taken by another woman.  
   
She enjoyed it, the pleasure and the sexual attraction that burned between them, the way Lorelai looked at her with clear blue eyes. One finger circling her hardened clit, another two inside of her. The warm water added even more to the stimuli, swirling along the bottom of her lips and heightening the sensations. Small curses, utterances and groans emanated from her throat while her confidant drew her much further out than Jamie could have ever imagined.  
   
She wasn't idle, letting her hands and arms wander Lorelai's body, free to explore each of the woman's slim curves. Lavishing attention on her breasts with her mouth, Lorelai gasped out loud, feeling renewed that her small endowments were pleasure points to the blonde. She didn't know what drew the girl to them, but she wouldn't question it at all. Lorelai let her take in as much of her body as possible, and no part of her chest was left unkissed or groped by the time Paris finally had to reel back to take in a breath. Her body was wracked with each contraction of Lorelai's hand inside of her.

"Want this...want this so much...oh, God..." She worked her hips against Lorelai's hand, trying to bring it deeper inside of her. Lorelai pushed aside the material even further and kept the pace, staying quiet, keeping her breathing even and focusing on Paris, completely. She felt Paris was perfect, utterly beautiful, and as she pushed further and further enjoyed the pressure against her fingers, her hand...the way Paris's eyes rolled as each new wave surged through her.  
   
"Almost there...come on...been so long since I saw you like this." She nipped Paris's lip, the rumble of her throat so raw and needing. "Come on, baby, come on."

"Yess...Lor...oh...oh..." Deeper she went, and Paris began to lose control of her senses, throwing her head back and tightening her legs together to quicken the strokes. Lorelai easily advised, stroking the girl's clit.  
   
"So fucking wet," she growled. "I don't care if we're in water...I know you're spilling out against me." In her face, Lorelai got raw, the shrieks deepening. "You have such a tight cunt, I love doing this to you, making you lose your mind."

"Yess...yess...yess..." Her body was tight as a coil. "I'm a bad girl..."

"Very bad. I wish I was there on Monday night behind you."

"Me too..."

"I would've done much more to you, you know that?" Paris nodded shakily. "Done more than just take off the uniform. Tore it off."

"Let...buttons...fly?"

"More than that, I would've taken you like this..." Faster strokes, more labored breathing. "Hitched my hand up and tore your panties off. Sucked your tits."

"I love it when you suck 'em...I wish you'd brand me."

"Later, baby. Right now, I wanna feel you cum. Ruin this tub forever with the memory that you came hard against me and my blue nails."

"Lor...fuck me."

"Fucking you..." A third finger within her slit. "You know what I'm gonna do while I'm over there?"  
   
"What?"

"I saw you...in your work overalls...once. I dreamed...about you..." She loved giving her girl these little peeks on her dream psychology.  
   
"Shirt on?"  
   
"A tight little one. Left nothing to the imagination." Faster.

"I would never...go tight...for anyone but you."

"Invited you in for Kool-Aid...to cool off. Rory's in the yard. Want you so bad, had to have a quickie."

Paris was warmly turned on. "Where...please?"  
   
"Staircase...with only the side buttons undone. Shoved my hands in, pulled your panties down, felt your warm heat."

"SHIT!!!"

"We stood. You rubbed me through my Dukes."

"I love your legs, Lor. It's so...so...oh God."  
   
"By the way, Par..." She got in close. "I **never** wear underwear when I wear jean shorts."

That was the pressure point Paris looked for. She became desperate for release. "Commando...you love it. Fuck...fuck..."

"I do. Come on, baby..."  
   
"Behind...right?"

"Yes, behind. I love watching you like this..."

She felt the pressure building higher. "Ohhhh...ohhh...ohhh..."

Lorelai encouraged her to roll her orgasm to make it more powerful and overwhelming. She knew the risks of too much physical activity in a whirlpool tub, but Paris seemed to them well enough. Gasping hard she clenched the other woman against her to push her against her as close as she could.

"Getting...there...oh man..." Paris clenched hard against her lover, her muscles overwhelmed by the pleasure.

"God, you're so wet," Lorelai said. "I can feel you. You're so slick."

"Lorelai," she begged. "Please, kiss me."

"Kiss you how?"

"Kiss me." Her eyes pleaded mercy. "It doesn't feel complete with just...you there. I want you...on my mouth."

"Of course, beautiful." Stroking faster and faster, she felt the slickness of the girl combine with tight and focused muscles trying to force out the overwhelming feeling. She nipped at Paris's bottom lip, teasing around the girl's lovely mouth, flittering busses that focused every single thought of the girl on having her release. She pushed her nose against Paris's, building the aggression with each stroke, each brush, sensing the blonde's body straighten and tighten as those contractions coursed within her.  
   
She felt like jumble of gelatin. Her mind was completely empty as she rode the thin fingers within her. She heard Lorelai begging her on through mashed lips, working her hips in a circle. The currents in the water flowed all around her as she felt her muscles respond onto to the actions of her lover. She was no longer in control of herself, finding herself under the spell of the appropriately named woman who enchanted her like a siren. Grappling at Lorelai down near her butt, she felt both her fingers pumping in and the push of her thigh between her pussy.  
   
"God...come on...please, make me cum, Lor. Please, please...oh shit!" She rolled her head back and forth with her body to create a rhythm with her circling pelvis. She loved how Lorelai found her pressure point, sliding out her orgasm slowly as if it was the sixth ball in a lotto machine. "Yesss....yesss...." Her toes were mashed together below, her heel held against the drain to feel the flow of the flowing water against them.  
   
Lorelai circled faster and faster, releasing from the kiss to give Paris's vixen plenty of things to think about over the summer. Guiding the girl with her now hoarse voice, the usual caring squeak was gone, replaced with desperate want for the blonde.  
   
"How naughty do you feel, Par? Being fucked by your best friend's mom? It's sinful, isn't it? Just so wrong, so dirty..." She kissed at her chin, moving lower, teeth brushing against hot flesh. "Having hot, nasty sex with someone you never would have considered months before." Down to her neck as Paris arched back as the other woman's thrusts moved deeper. "You have so much to learn about pleasure yet, my young underling."

"I want...to learn..."

"And you will. I will make sure that you'll be branded by me..." The kisses flittered down towards her breasts, chilled from the evaporation of the water. "That you'll know exactly why I never stayed with Christopher and only use him on occasion to remind myself of how sex with an immature jackass feels." Paris was stunned by the admission, her eyes widened as Lorelai could only laugh. "He might be Rory's father and my first, but that's it. That's all. I will **never** marry him. I will always fuck and run with him, because he will never settle down. He thinks he's good in bed, but let me tell you. Compared to Max, he's like that kid in the pie movie squirting in his boxers just because..." Warm breath against the hot and hardened nipple. "He saw a tit."

"Lorelai..."

"You wonder why I can only fuck him when I'm drunk, that's why. Right now, we're both sober, of sound body." Faster circles, harder contractions of Paris's muscles. "You make me feel like I really wanted to when I was your age." Paris felt her heart beat faster and faster. "I really mean it when I say if I would've been able to go to my debutante ball and I saw you, we'd be in a back room with the dresses unzipped down, using our legs to friction each other off."

"Ohhhh....ohhh..." If there was anything Paris loved more, it was hearing a woman on her own dark and twisted wavelength. She loved to think cynically, and Lorelai was truly her equal. She had never had anyone in her life like her, with that morbid sense of humor and a want to make fun of the popular crowd. But she was warming to this woman, enjoying her for what she was and learning beyond what she was in her public guise.  
   
"You make me feel young again."

"You never...aged a minute."

"Come for me, please, Par," she begged. "Make yourself spill over, that pressure on my fingers."

"I want to...want to cum..." She felt tingles from Lorelai circling her tongue around her right nipple. "Fu--ck..."

"Beautiful girl, please..."

"Lorelai..."

"Paris..."

"Ohhhh....ohhh yes, ohhh yes..." She looked the woman in the eyes. "Come on...mark me..."  
   
"Will it make you cum?" Lorelai's breath was shallow. "I want to feel that flow."

"You will...saved myself a lot of it," she promised. "So mark me already...you fucking bitch." The insult wasn't hateful at all, and the brunette looked up into Paris's sleepy and sex-glazed eyes.

"Whatever you say..." She smirked, with her buck teeth prominent. "You slutty tease."

Before Paris could react, she felt herself pumped into harder and harder as Lorelai did indeed mark her as best as she could, in a way she knew that was buried deep down within Paris's psyche. From her observations, it took a lot for her to lose control of herself. She enjoyed the entire aspect of control, whether it was scholastically or in any other of her endeavors.  
   
"Ahhhh...ahhhh...L-ORRRRR!!!!!"

Paris found all of her control lost as her lover's white teeth clamped against her nipple. Not enough to hurt, but it was enough of a trigger. She threw her head back as she screamed into the echoes of the pool room, letting the last few strokes consume her before her muscles finally gave up the fight and made those last tight contractions against Lorelai's hand. Lorelai pressed her teeth onto and then released in a rhythm, sending both the pleasure and pain coursing through the small woman. Tenderly, she made sure that she didn't latch on too hard. Her free hand, cradled on Paris's rear, brought the girl in and out of each stroke. Looking up at Paris's face, she felt hot that she was the first to do such things in her whirlpool tub.  
   
On her hand she felt the tight clench of the girl, and the small flow of fluid from her body. Encouraging, she begged her to spill more, seething through the request. Paris was beyond in control. Her senses were overwhelmed, body wound, her emotions all over the map. Not even last time with Lorelai had she felt an orgasm that powerful.  
   
"Fuuuuuck...yessss...yessss....oh lorrrrd...yes....yessssss...." Her breath was rushed and deep as she hyperventilated, hoping she didn't sink beneath the surface. _I wish I could see it all over her hand_ , she thought to herself about the large disadvantage of being taken in water. Her body was in knots as the sensations stunned through her, and Lorelai slowly eased her hand from the sensitive flesh as her body began to settle down again, slowly. Lorelai slid her hand away, placing the material of Paris's swim bottoms back over her mound and showing the consideration to move back to the other side of Paris to let her settle down without contact.  
   
They were quiet, Paris enjoying the soft afterglow, her face beet red and her body settling against the seat and edge of the pool, shrugging her shoulders back into the water. She stared straight ahead towards a far wall of the room, focusing on the lights reflecting from above and onto the surface of the water. She felt her control return, but was still aware that the woman had taken her plan to seduce her in the tub and turned it right back upon her.  
   
"Wow," was all she could say in a whisper, overwhelmed at exactly how Lorelai thought of her. Processing the dirty talk through her mind, her self-filter trying to get over the fact that the older woman had just admitted outside of her teenage years, the father of her child was sexually undesirable. She was sure that nobody, not even Max, knew that she thought that way of him. Never would she have pictured Lorelai Gilmore as sexually unsatisfied. She didn't think it was possible. She slumped into the pool while the woman rubbed her back to calm her once again.  
   
More silence. She couldn't thank Lorelai with a higher compliment that seemed to be stuck on her tongue. What could she say? _I'm just stunned_ , she thought. _How does she do this to me? Reveal me without much beyond a smile and a touch?_ Paris couldn't believe what she said in passion, and how Lorelai ran with it.

"Paris?" Lorelai brought her hand down to the small of her back. "You alright?" Paris nodded and turned to face her, blushing from what they did in the tub.  
   
"I...I think so." With a nervous laugh, she pushed her legs together and stretched the somewhat pushed-down bottoms back into place. "I don't even know, really."

"It's OK, hon," she assured. "I can give you time to calm down. You gave me time to rest."

"Well, it's not that," Paris assured. "Not at all." Her eyes on Lorelai, she shrugged and tried to explain her state of mind. "I'm just trying to think...who would have thought?"  
   
Lorelai caught on it right away, wagging her eyebrows. "You're having problems with your thought processes? Then my work here is done!"

"Fuck you," Paris off-handed, rolling her eyes, warm and turgid water surrounding her. "I don't know how you did...did... **that**!"

"Exactly what did I do?" Lorelai asked, assured of her sexual prowess.  
   
"I was planning on having you in here, but you turned it around on me." Pouting, she wrapped her hands around her chest. "I wanted to...well, I would have been pleased to, how would you put it kindly? I'm just kind of lost on words, and I'd rather they not be bad slang."

"You can't get around it." Smirking, the older woman let the euphemism fly in high school taunting song mode. "Youuuu wanted to goooo downnn onn meee!!"

The abrasive blonde groaned, shaking her head and wondering how exactly she managed to fall into lust for a spiritual teenager. "Maybe I did. But you'll never know now."

Lorelai shook her head, brushing her wet hair aside. "Oh, I know. You don't become a flirt without knowing strategy and redirecting it towards your own pleasure. Besides that, it might not have worked under water, and I'd rather you build up your experience before you try things like that." She clasped Paris's wrist in concern. "It's enough we're in a hot tub where strenuous activity is discouraged, but to dip yourself beneath that water, it may have worked in your mind, but in reality, it would have been fraught with problems."

Sighing, Paris conceded that her lover did happen to have a point. Even as she imagined it, being under water with her eyes closed and having to come up for air every minute would have ruined the romantic atmosphere.  
   
"I guess you're right. Then, I guess I can't complain about being on the business end. Worked out quite well for me." She blushed, staring at Lorelai and quite pleased that the evening was turning out much better than she thought.  
   
"Remember, you do have all night, Par." Lorelai soothed the girl's worries about not being able to reciprocate. "I don't expect a return of the favor, honest. Just being here right now is perfect enough for me."

Letting a breath release tightly, the blonde stated her fear for the evening. "I'm just glad you came at all."  
   
Lorelai shook her head and laid a soft buss on her cheek. "I never thought of not coming."

Once again, Paris bit on the wording like she had earlier in the day at Oakenwood. With a sly little smile, the heated rhetoric of the night became even deeper.  
   
"Oh, you will come, Lorelai Victoria. You will come more than you ever have in your life." Her arms wrapped around the taller woman, that soulful instrument that was her voice warned the innkeeper that her own pleasure was only secondary. "I would be confident in saying that by the time you leave tomorrow, you'll have been sated multiple times." She placed her hand upon the small of Lorelai's back, and before the two began to relax in relative silence within the therapeutic tub, the older woman had an appropriate response to the bold academic's declaration.  
   
"I'm in big trouble, aren't I?"

Paris nodded. "You better believe it." With that affirmation, the two rested up and calmed their bodies, preparing for whatever the rest of the late night was preparing them for. Lorelai was glad for the time for herself, while Paris was ready to prove that her intense drive was good for much more than test scores and theses.  


* * *

 ** 2:15am, Media Room  
**   
As Lorelai remembered it, this time of the night was usually the time when she was in the afterglow of good sex.

When she did. Most of the time it was when she remembered why she didn't like some aspects of sex, like the whole awkward problem of trying to have her proper ration of covers.  
   
In her past, she always remembered Christopher as being a 'hot sleeper' and that he loathed having more than a sheet on the bed, leaving her almost entirely in the cold. Max was one to take all the covers; not even leaving Lorelai with the sheet. Then a few other of her times, the other person didn't feel comfortable cuddling with her and turned away. Those were the worst, the shame she felt that someone didn't find her attractive after the orgasm.  
   
There were even a couple of odd men who wanted her to redress after the act, to make the act of sleeping and 'sleeping' two completely different aspects. Lorelai felt comfortable in her own skin and hated when Puritan values seemed to find their way into the bedroom.  
   
So, it was late. Lorelai expected to be naked and sweaty by that moment in time.  
   
Instead, she was holding a young woman at her waist, talking about anything and everything, while popcorn, delivered Chinese food and a couple of cool glass bottles of Coke imported from a country which made it with the cane sugar recipe littered the room. The television was on and tuned to a talk show long ended, now airing one of those colon cleanse infomercials Lorelai loved to mock, but had no need to since she was so deep into conversation with her lover.  
   
"I never even really thought of that. Rory was going on about train ticket prices being cheap and that they didn't ticket online, but they do."

"I always buy my Eurorail tickets in advance. It just makes more sense to have them ready to go and a seat reserved." Having travelled Europe quite a few times, Paris was giving the woman travel tips she could actually use. "I'd rather pay in pre-converted currency than having to exchange over there. They bite you in the ass if you convert at a bank there and at least you can lock in a rate before you ever get over there."  
   
"She just doesn't understand, I don't think. I've saved a lot for this all, but in 1984 I was planning for $5,000 to be a nice amount for a trip. Now it gets me just enough, and even then we have to hostel it up most of the time."

"That's why you bring your own pillow."

"Speaking from experience?"

"Perhaps. Had a horrid room in Berlin once where you didn't need a blacklight to see...well, it was a room with a public view."

Lorelai shuddered in horror. "You got the Exhibitionist Special then?"  
   
"It was only a few blocks from the Reichstag. They were counting on people checking them out."

"I plan none of the sort." Lorelai settled back into the lovely leather couch as Paris turned herself around. "I still can't believe you raided your father's closet for me, Par. You didn't have to do that."

"What?" Paris shook her head. "He wasn't using it anyways, and I get into it all the time. My mother always overbought for him; he's more a guy into comfort than anything else."

"So he sleeps in t-shirts then."

"Pretty much." She smiled, taking in the woman wearing things dug up from her own parent. "She usually bought him this stuff at Christmas, which he acknowledged with a 'um, that's nice, honey. Thank you?'. He wouldn't bat an eye at me giving out his never worn pajamas."

"Your mother must be crazy. I never knew that you could stockpile boxers like cans of food."

Paris giggled. "Like I said, comfort."

"Certainly better to be in clean clothes than...well I have a shirt that's been in the Jeep for four weeks. I think there are jeans in the hatch that shrunk during the winter there too. Don't exactly trust them."

"Why would you change your clothes in the middle of winter in your car?"  
   
"I found a cute skirt shopping and wanted to show it off right away."

"And that justifies a change of clothes in your car on a cold January day?"

"I think it does."

"You are certifiably crazy, Ms. Gilmore." Paris's voice was light as she enjoyed the conversation. "I could never have the guts to pull that out."  
   
"I was in an empty parking lot, I assure you."

"And that makes it so much better," the blonde shot back. "You do know telescopes are used for evil?"

"Eh, let the boys stare. I have the doors locked and if the sight of my booty is enough to make them have their first wet dream then I welcome the opportunity to bring them into the world."  
   
Paris let the words swirl around in her brain for a few moments, and felt a chill run through her spine at the idea which was implanted in her mind. Visibly shuddering, she tried to block it out of her mind and move on quickly, but it was of no use. There it was in her mind, and a response had to be formed, lest her mind be haunted for the rest of the summer.

"What you're saying then is that you would love to, er, uhh...let's see here. You don't care about being ogled, or showing yourself off in public."

"Mm-hmm, that's right."

"There are no qualms about it. You'd get dressed as if nothing was happening and go through with it."  
   
"Exactly." Somehow, Lorelai found Paris's being analytical a cute and surprising trait.  
   
"So if I were to break this down, you're fine with someone watching you."  
   
"That would be right," Lorelai said without hesitation, but seeing Paris shudder a bit. "Not that I would want to make the other person uncomfortable with the concept."

"It's not that I'm uncomfortable with it," Paris explained. "I just have not had the need for a public display of affection."  
   
"It's something that has to work in certain circumstances. Just not at anytime for the hell of it." Lorelai half-smiled. "Certainly not in a circumstance with a cop nearby."

"No way." Paris took in a deep breath, still feeling incredibly relaxed two hours off from fulfillment she was still feeling throughout her body. Her eyes were sleepy, her body still warmed and somewhat damp from her after-pool shower where she and Lorelai somehow resisted the temptation to share a shower. For once, Paris was grateful to live in a home with several bathrooms to keep her from straying from her purposes of taking a cool-down shower.  
   
Though it was far from a cool-down. "I couldn't even stand in the shower, by the way," she purred to the woman next to her. "I tried to concentrate on just the shower, but it didn't work. I kept going back to the whirlpool and..." Her face colored red while she tried to look down in order to take her focus of her sexual mind. "It was a cold shower."

"Cold?" Paris nodded. "You must still feel all wound up."

"To a certain point, I do. But I need to settle down. We both need to." Stretching against the woman, Paris let her jersey ride up, just enough to expose the bottom portion of the maroon cotton boyshorts she wore beneath it. "We had thirteen days to build this up."

"Well, more like thirteen days, and numerous messages." Lorelai's voice lowered as she began to recall some of the steamier ones that the two women exchanged in the course of their time apart. "I should have never given you my cell, Blondie. In your hands, my number is dangerous."  
   
"So you weren't expecting that maid fantasy I came up with during my study hall 'exam'?"  
   
"You're kidding me, right?" Lorelai scoffed at the girl. "Did you hear me leave that voicemail for you after I got home from the loan officer? I still can't believe **you** would come up with something like that."

"I did mention my wavering bisexual eyes, right?" Those same brown eyes scanned the innkeeper's form. "I really did appreciate the way the Independence's maid's uniforms flattered the female figure, even though they zipped rather than buttoned down. If you're smart, you will retain that dress for your employees once you open the Dragonfly."  
   
"I knew it, you're already trying to worm your way into the inn," Lorelai joked. "You think it's too late to change from law and medicine to hospitality? You might know a few things I don't."

Paris smirked, happy to see Lorelai enjoying her humor. "I know quite a few things. Mostly of the Goofus variety where my mother plays that role."

"So I'm Gallant? I'm kind to others and say 'thank you'?"

"Lorelai, you make Gallant seem like the leader of a biker gang. Except you have that edge to you that still suggests you have that rebellious edge." She began to slide off from the sofa. "As I said, you are an amazing woman. There is no way, barring a natural disaster or Taylor going on a power trip that you won't make that place the best in the state. I even think you have a great shot at best of New England if you play your cards right."

"Right now I'm just hoping to be best in a three mile radius of Route 26. I have work ahead of me in spades once I get back." Lorelai wondered why Paris was moving away from her body. "It'll be tough."

"It'll be enjoyable," Paris responded. "Now if you don't mind..." she brushed her hair back behind her ear and looked into Lorelai's eyes. "I think that we should begin to move this into a room where I have a modicum of privacy."

"You don't want to sleep in here?" Lorelai wondered.  
   
"I could sleep in here rather easily. That's not the issue." Smoothing out her jersey, Paris arched an eyebrow up and directed a look towards the older woman. "Anyone can sleep on a couch, especially one that cost $14,000. It's just that if we're going to... _sleep_ , we need more room."

"So if I'm trying to understand here," Lorelai followed,  "You want to sleep with me, but you also want to _sleep_ with me."

Paris joked with Lorelai. "You're sure you earned a college degree?"

"Oh, I did. I also graduated _magna cum laude_ from the school of hard knocks." Rising slowly, Lorelai tried to rationalize how the evening was going. "So you're not going to make me leave right now?"

"I'm afraid that I'm unable to let you do that," Paris answered with unhidden desire as she opened the door. Internally, her nerves were on edge and hoping that Lorelai wasn't planning to avert from what she wanted to happen. "Although you can if you want."

"Now why would I do that?" Lorelai smiled at Paris and walked towards her lover, unable to let her eyes waver from the seductive blonde. "I don't think I could after our midnight swim."

"Because you're afraid, Lorelai." Smirking, she did a heel-to-toe walk out into the hallway. "Afraid that I'm too cocky, that I won't live up to my promise that you will come tonight."

Shuddering, Lorelai closed her eyes as the claim was repeated for the third time that evening. Nobody had ever made the promise of her orgasming at all, and for good reason, since Chris's idea of a cum was spilling into her, while Max was overly cerebral and worrisome to make sure she did feel good even when she didn't get to her peak. None of her other partners attempted to make the same claim, beyond a couple of dud dates back in her early days at the Inn.  
   
The confidence in Paris's words struck something within her though. It wasn't as if she had any doubts, judging from how wonderful their first two times were. But for Paris to make such a declaration wasn't at all like her. In her time knowing the girl, Lorelai knew Paris as shy, not the bold woman assertive with her sexuality she was this evening.  
   
"Oh, I'm afraid?" Lorelai purred, walking in step with the petite girl. "Why would I be afraid of an orgasm? I mean it's just a physical reaction to tensioned stimuli. Nothing more than that."

"I guess you didn't sleep through sex ed." Paris shook her head towards the woman and felt herself pull closer. "You're just afraid of ceding any kind of control, Ms. Gilmore."

The other woman scoffed. "I am not!"

"Lorelai, you held back in the classroom. I could tell." Paris sighed and stared dead-on in Lorelai's eyes. "Do I need to mention the fridge?"

"You were willing to go for that!" Suddenly Lorelai felt herself in confrontational mode. "Look, I've paid my penance and made my mistakes. I love being in control of my destiny. Anything wrong with that?"

"Obviously not, for I'm the same way." Lorelai found herself backed down the hall. "I don't know how many times I got myself off to my authority figures. Ms. Peters, my paper advisor...God, she's just so delicious. I would leave a few mistakes in drafts just so she could bend over and correct them and I could take in her scent." The hotelier found herself gulping as she found that Paris fretting over the cashbox return full force. "I love thinking about women, how they make love. The sounds they make, the way they orgasm, how they meld against each other so perfectly." She backed Lorelai towards a door while the other woman's breaths deepened. "The length of time especially gets to me, how we can stretch lovemaking into hours, slide into thighs fast or slow, even get off fully clothed and not come off as ruffled in the end."

"Oh my God..."

"I even remember how I felt when you caught the girls sneaking away from the concert and the way you yelled at them. You never knew this, Lor, but when you told them to move their asses..." She cornered the older woman against the door. "I was staring at yours." She grinned and slid her hand down Lorelai's side until it was at the bottom of her thigh.  
   
Then she moved it up slowly, flustering her partner for the evening. "The thing is, I've always known that I bend towards the right of the Kinsey scale. I've always thought of myself as a four, deeply attracted to women but able to allow myself room to take in the opposite sex. If Tristan would have stayed in my life I know I might have stuck near three, even and a definite bisexual, drifting towards two. But he's gone. I stayed a four all through my time with Jamie. There was no exception or anything pushing me back towards the left; I still found women more attractive towards men."

"Did you feel like a zero after your first time?" Lorelai wondered aloud, her question coming out in a rushed gasp. "You don't remember it well."

"Again, I did it to see what it was like. It was incredibly disappointing." Shrugging, Paris brought her point back towards the present day. "I see you as a definite two, but with a possible pull towards a three. You're a casual bisexual, Ms. Gilmore."

"So you think you can turn me then." Lorelai smiled. "I just haven't found the right woman I don't think. Not until now."

"I've never even told anyone that I'm bi," Paris confessed, her free hand moving towards the doorknob. "It sets up all kinds of awkwardness, like I wouldn't mind a _ménage_ , when really I'm definitely one into one-on-one sex. My mind **never** pictures multiple partners, for instance. Even in my time with Louise as a kissing partner, she was in that two category, but as a 2.0." The door opened as she spread out the intellectual dirty talk. "I knew she loved the cock and I couldn't turn her, but we understood about that. I still am, and we both remember it well. We have to figure out what we are in the world, and I was happy to have her as my guide into finding out where I stand."  
   
"I can just imagine," Lorelai said in response, before pausing to reconsider her statement and drawing her words out slowly. "Not that I have." She flushed from her embarrassment as Paris smiled eagerly in her direction, turned on and looking to outdo the adult in her own seduction.  
   
"So in your dreams we are exclusive?" She slid her hand from the knob and took Lorelai's hands into hers, looking up at the woman. "Or perhaps you're telling me you wouldn't mind watching."

 _Didn't she just say..._ "But you just said you don't like three-ways."

"I know I did." She let her hand go to move at Lorelai's waist and along the waistband of the boxers. "But I also have to note that I like to watch too. I'm not into threesomes, but I certainly would never mind if I was either participating, or watching someone make love with another woman." She pushed against the door to open it. "Technically if you're just watching two people have sex, it's not a threesome situation."

Biting at her bottom lip with her front teeth, the brunette began to realize what Paris was doing to her. She felt tight all around, her temperature heating up, pores opening as her body felt the need to perspirate from the sexual stress she was experiencing. There was a response on the tip of her tongue to her lover's declaration of how she saw certain situations, but the words were unable to escape her larynx. All she could do was stand stunned as Paris tapped the door open with only the slightest touch of her finger. The blonde tossed her hair back and directed a smile towards the other woman, whose eyes were glazing over in deep lust.  
   
"It has to be the right woman though. Not just anyone."

"Louise?" Lorelai wondered. Paris shook her head.  
   
"She's more in my singular fantasies. I still use the image of her stroking her clit when I need some release of my stress. No, it can't be a good friend. They have to be sort of distant, someone you really don't know that well but can imagine wanting to do that. I don't really know anyone that we'd probably share a knowing of, so for now, I think we're perfect just indulging in each other. Exploring..." She brushed up closer to Lorelai to pull at her wrist. "Being passionate. I'm not really in the mood to share my toys."  
   
"So you just want me?"

"Lorelai..." she paused to look into the woman's shining eyes, full of the clarity she never found with Max that this was more than right. "I feel like you're more than one woman. You have so many facets that adding somebody else would just be diluting you, your essence." Her words soft and caring, she fumbled for a remote to turn on a lamp elsewhere in the room to its dimmest setting. "I'm overwhelmed that you'd find me beautiful, worthy enough to be with you. I'm not myself around you and all day I've felt like I couldn't live up to how I pictured everything about this night going."  
   
With her foot she shut the door, then turned Lorelai so she walked backwards. "It's already gone beyond anything I ever imagined. We had a wonderfully deep and fulfilling conversation, shared some fun in the pool and given me enough memories that I know I can look back and remember this as a wonderful moment in my life." Her voice cracked as she felt the emotion get to her. "Whatever the definition of what we have is, I don't know. It could be just an affair, friends with benefits, something we both just plain needed before we go our separate ways in the next few days. But I do know one thing..." She measured her steps until she knew Lorelai was where she wanted her to be. Looking at the woman in the sexually alluring male bed attire, she was turned on, with the boldness she had long hidden finally overwhelming the 'queen bitch' she always came off in at Chilton. The part of her life she wanted to live, but in the shadow of Madeline and Louise, Francie, any of the cheerleaders at Chilton, and especially Rory, she was afraid to bring out. Her tender and soft, yet sexual side had been awakening in the last month and finally pushed into her all the way within the whirlpool.  
   
Lorelai then realized by the space of her surroundings where she was before she felt pressure against her hips pushing her backwards. She lost her footing almost immediately, with Paris moving closer to her. For a moment she was in a state of panic as she was afraid she would knock her head into the floor.  
   
Then Paris spoke. "I didn't let Jamie in here with me, ever. We never did anything in the Manor. It didn't work. I felt a pang of regret the moment I ever thought of the idea. But here, tonight, with you...it's perfect. It works."  
   
Lorelai found herself lying on a cloud of softness. With the dimmest of light guiding her, she looked straight ahead over Paris. A moment of panic rose up through her soul. Everything began to hit, the ramifications of where she was, who she was with, and finally how she thought she had taken advantage of her.  
   
She tried to only think her next words. But they rushed through her throat and into the echoes of the space which was as spacious as her entire second floor at home.  
   
"We're in your room." The confidence of usual had melted away to be replaced with uncertainty that she was taking things in the right direction.  
   
"Yes, we are." Paris was less hesitant about her assessment.

"We are...in your room." She settled onto the bed, sliding up the mattress. "Your bedroom."

"We have now established that in both contracted and uncontracted words, yes."

Shaking her head, Lorelai felt all those doubts she pushed behind her fantasies, those doubts she pushed away in the afterglow and support she showed for the girl after she ended it with Jamie. Her eyes narrowed as Paris eased herself onto her body. She didn't want to be this way around Paris at all, knowing the girl would take her doubts as an extreme rejection without any explanation.  
   
She looked away, towards the computer area of the bedroom, where everything was turned off. The television which had been in front of Paris's bed during her sitting Shiva for Harvard was off to the side in a corner, suggesting the only thing ever done in the space was studying and sleeping. She felt as if she was intruding, rather than feeling invited.

Immediately Paris noticed the aversion and fears. She crawled onto the left side of the bed and laid against Lorelai, encouraging her to turn around but finding it hard for her to convince Lorelai to do so.

"Lorelai." She called the woman's name. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing's wrong," she responded with her voice betraying her alleged emotion. "I'm fine."

"You're sure?" She placed her hand on Lorelai's stomach. "Suddenly you seem a bit down."

"I'm not." She shrugged to turn around and pull down the blankets on the bed. "It's just...I'm really OK. I'm fine. It's just that...that..." She couldn't bring herself to voice her doubts.  
   
"What is it? I don't know what you're trying to say."

"I just...I don't want you to hate me."

"Why would I think that?" Paris couldn't think of mustering anything near hate from the older woman. Her voice raised an octave as she tried to get to the bottom of Lorelai's doubts. "Lor, I think I know what this is about."

"Paris, you--"

She brought out her editor's tone. "No." Lorelai clammed up instantly. "I knew what this step in the evening was going to lead to." She sat up on the bed and kept her full attention on the innkeeper. "I went through this same situation two weeks ago, remember?"

"But you didn't say anything about it."

"I thought about it before finally realizing, do I care?" She smiled at her lover and placed her right on top of Lorelai's left. "Would it have mattered if I was afraid to sleep in your bed, with or without you?"

"Yes, but this is different," Lorelai clarified. "I sleep in that bed all the time as an adult. This is your childhood bed. Where you did childhood things, hon. That gives me a bit of pause here and it's like I'm going to be the first one in here to make it shake and everything."

Paris then smirked and shook her head, giggling softly before she began to clarify what situation Lorelai was exactly in. "You're kidding me, right?"

"But it is, you had all your kid moments here--"

"You really think that this is the same bed I've had since I was two?" The girl decided to give Lorelai a bit of history. "I have had four beds in my lifetime; two of them have long been either donated to a worthy cause or disposed of because God forbid the Consumer Product Safety Commission have something to worry about beyond serviceable beds besides...you know, dangerous car seats. The third bed meanwhile was one of those memories I couldn't deal with in the wake of Harvard rejecting me. I mourned within it, barely moved in it, cried and anguished on that mattress. And in that week I realized something."

"You can't sleep more than eight hours on the dot in it?" Lorelai cracked a small smile and Paris rolled her eyes.  
   
"Besides that, it was too small. When my mother bought it for me when I was ten, I was still a child in the physical sense of the word. She still thought that I believed children came via stork and that I'd sleep on anything with a pillow and a blanket. After eight years, I just couldn't anymore. My back hurt every day from Chilton and I'd wake up with it still sore. After day five of my isolation, I was just plain sick of it and I was down to actually watching _Maury_. Let me repeat that again; I, Paris Gellar, was stuck watching Maury Povich make his legendary sportswriter father regret his advice to follow him into the news, just so he could watch his flesh and blood host a talk show in the former grand ballroom of a declining railroad luxury hotel, doling out paternity test to mothers who really should have no need to procreate, while their alleged fathers hem and haw that they should not pay child support. They celebrate when they are told the tests come out negative, then slump in tears if it turns out that their seed somehow made its way into the mother in some God knows how depraved sexual act they performed with each other and turned into a poor child who has to be stuck projected from a back room onto a JumboTron to remind us that yes, these people are going to raise a child whose paternity was argued about in the venue of a lunchtime talk show on Channel 20..."

Lorelai took in the overly complicated rant, loving how Paris could take the concept of 'you are not the father!' and expand it much further than intended into a worthy social commentary that drew in almost anybody. Even if on first glance she seemed to be one to only take in the broad details, Lorelai did enjoy history and oddly recognized the history of the Hotel Pennsylvania, whose current management she was definitely trying **not** to emulate as far as managing the Dragonfly. She seemed to turn red with each new argument and before long it had become a focused diatribe on how she would rather watch an educational science program but was stuck on a daytime talk show.  
   
"OK, you can breathe now, Par," she quipped at the end, moving closer to the girl and thanking her for the educational lesson. "You had a point about the bed being too small and it seemed to be buried when you began to rant about the rise of horrible SR-22 car insurance ads."

Paris cringed, letting her head fall as she realized how off-topic she was from her point. _I'm so off topic I'm seeing Côte d'Ivoire right now_ , she thought. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize, you need to get those rants out," Lorelai said to her, rubbing her back. "But I'm sure you had a point to this."

"I did. What was it..." Paris thought for a moment about what she originally wanted to say. "It was about the bed, right?" Lorelai nodded. "The bed, the bed...umm."

The light bulb turning on was delayed, mainly since Paris's eyes seemed to be stuck on Lorelai's cleavage being apparent within the pajama top and looking particularly alluring. Finally she found the point, feeling like an idiot for having to take so long to get to it.  
   
"That's right." She shook her head. "The bed was too small, I was watching that horrid show and a 1-800-Mattress ad came on. Suddenly I was laying there, my back was hurting and the commercial spokeswoman was talking about back pain and how it would be cured by new bedding. Usually, I wouldn't even bat an eye. Six days off being rejected by my dream college?" She rolled her eyes. "Let it be known that most children of our wealth bracket would rebel by buying a fast car or throwing a huge party which required several police departments to get back under control. Me? I call a mattress in an hour place, whip out the AMEX and quickly become the owner of a $3,500 TempurPedic bed because I need to spend money on **something**."

Lorelai was resisting the urge to tease Paris. For her own safety, she remained neutral and held back that in her mind she was imagining the blonde yelling into the phone for a better mattress. "You bought...a bed?"  
   
"I bought a bed." She looked down at the large queen-sized mattress beneath her bought under duress. "I also spent $2,000 more on the frame and bedding after I realized that sleeping on a bare bed sitting on the floor wasn't an option. Nanny had to keep her hand in mine at Bed, Bath and Beyond and Nordstrom because she knew I'd probably go on some insane shopping spree if I was unleashed outside the home department. It was not my proudest moment to lay five large...on a bed. Which don't get me wrong, I really enjoy, it was worth every penny and oh my God, this is what I picture Heaven as probably feeling like. But really, I bought a bed."

"There's nothing wrong with a bed." Lorelai curled up next to the girl, resting her chin on Paris's shoulder. "Even a bed like this, it's cool to be all 'fuck Harvard' and decide you saved all this money for room and board, so if they don't want it you'll spend it on something to benefit yourself. It's a nice bed..." She bounced the surface a couple of times with her rear. "Very nice, probably that fancy space-age memory foam stuff in the bed, so it's awesome. Plus I hate to say it but it's made you less irritable to deal with, babe."

"You're saying I've been better since I got it?" Paris was pleased to be complimented for her choice. "I feel happier, really. Less stressed out when I get up. It's like...I don't know how to describe it. The first night I slept I got to the seventh snooze cycle before I dared to get up. Usually the second snooze is the limit for me."

"Hear me out here," Lorelai began. "I think that in your own way, which might be seen by others as Howard Hughes crazy, this was something you did to assert your independence. To tell the world that you were done being a HarvardBot and that you were going to go your own way from now on and let your heart do what it wanted." She carefully stroked Paris's hair and moved in closer to the girl, her first reaction to Paris's confession long disappeared beneath empathy. "For so long you labored under the assumption that you'd be in Cambridge in two months. When that didn't pan out, you coped in your own way. You sealed yourself off, mourned, did what you had to do to deal with it. If that includes buying a new bed, so be it. It's just a bed. You acted appropriately. A little exorbitant, as I would have just gone to Mattress Matthew's off Route 1 and got the $199 special, but hey, you have a high IQ. You need the big money bed to keep that cute little brain of yours in top gear."

Paris groaned. "You did not just call my brain cute."

"I'm sorry, but I did." She laughed and took in Paris's post-shower scent of baby powder and lavender. "It's cute because it didn't short circuit and decide to go an extreme place. It went with economic rebellion instead of urging you to head to the nearest viaduct, join the local tagging team and literally painting the town red. Because somehow, I think you have no skill whatsoever with a spray paint can. You wouldn't want to be anywhere near one because you'd probably take one whiff of the fumes it puts out and reconsider your new life as an urban artist."

"I'm pleased to know your imagination creates interesting situations for me."

"Well I try." The two women began to move into the same intimate embrace they were quickly perfecting. "So, with all of this, I guess I should finally respond to my point that I'm afraid to make love to you in your childhood bed."

"You should. Because this isn't. I've been an adult in the entirety of this bed's usage." Her voice husked as she began to move from being cerebral to sexual. "I haven't yet done anything adult in this bed, however, with a willing partner at least."  
   
"I would hope you've done adult things in the singular sense," the hotelier whispered, all that unease beginning to melt away. "This bed just cries out to be used for much more than just a good sleep."

The student's voice took a dangerous tenor. "What are you suggesting that I've done in here all by myself? Hopefully nothing untoward."

"Oh, not at all. But I know you probably ate crackers in the bed. That's pretty naughty right there, Par. Only bad girls would do that." They moved closer once again, Paris's hand moving towards Lorelai's waist.  
   
"I haven't brought food anywhere near here. I don't seem to be the right kind of hungry when I'm in here."

"You have a hunger?"

"Oh, very much," she purred, her legs twisting around the other woman. "For the last month I've been really hungry."

"You must be starved then. Not having that one special treat for two weeks."

"I made do," she asserted. "That finger massager received plenty of use where it needed to be." Her other hand nested in Lorelai's hair. "You know when you feel it best?"

"I don't know."

"Pressing your legs together until all that can fit are two fingers. One to circle, one to manipulate within your walls." Lorelai clenched at the mental picture. "There was even a couple times I experimented and let another finger drift up into the back to add just a smidge of pressure...oh my, is it divine to just scrape a fingernail along it."

"Fuck..."

"I laid lengthwise on the bed, pushing it in and out, in and out. I had to be careful lest it disengage from my finger but I kept it tight most of the time. I couldn't help but drive myself slowly, remembering the feel of your hands, of your finger, even how your thigh pushes against me." She closed her eyes, flushing from her mirage. "Do you know what you do to me, Lor? How much I've gone from having to keep my sexual thoughts hidden to being allowed to share them with you?"

"You've built them up, baby."

"So many years, they're all coming out with you." Now she straddled the other woman and they were centered on the bed. "I would have never thought a month ago of doing this with anybody."

"I can't believe you're letting me in on so many secrets," Lorelai confessed. "I feel like I know you more than anybody who went to school with you for twelve years."  
   
Paris had her own revelation. "I feel like I can finally get in touch with my true self with you. I always thought my sexuality ran towards the older portion of the scale, but I didn't act. It seemed too weird to me to have an attraction to someone twice my age."

"I never thought I'd be attracted towards you."

"The same here." Paris felt bold, pushing her leg against Lorelai's hot core. "I can't stop thinking about you." Their breaths deepened, the heat building up between them.  
   
"Then stop thinking, and do," Lorelai dared bravely. "Do what you want to do."

"What do you want me to do," Paris asked? Would you like me to do this..." She dug her thigh in against the dampening boxers and Lorelai hissed in reaction.  
   
"Not...now...shit..." Lorelai reacted and attempted to pull away. She wanted something more than to use the blonde as something to hump against.  
   
"So you don't want that." Paris smiled and pulled her hands away, only to let her hands grasp the hem of the wrinkled soccer jersey. "I know what you want, Ms. Gilmore." Sliding it up each inch slowly, Lorelai watered in anticipation with each new inch of exposed skin. She couldn't help but stare when the girl's flattering maroon-striped boyshorts came into view. They fit the girl like a well-worked glove, flattering her ass in ways Lorelai never fathomed.  
   
"Those look better than your two-piece," she said, with Paris then placing a finger to her mouth to quiet her.  
   
"I know they do," she acknowledged. "Now you must hush. I've been imagining this since that morning that was rudely cut off by reality." Turning the shirt inside out as she rolled it up her body, Paris felt warm anticipation building. Lorelai's eyes went to her belly and then moved to her bust. She circled her hips to create a rhythm, a move learned from YWCA aerobics she loved to take advantage of. Moles dotted her form, small freckles. Unlike with Jamie she had no fear of the examination on the other woman's part. Lorelai's only interest was undressing her lover and making her feel like a whole different woman. Not at all the nervous Paris of old, this girl was now a woman who knew what she had, and how to lure.  
   
 _Let Andy...Albert...Alex? Aw, heck, let FishGuy keep his...fishing or whatever. I think I've been caught...oh yes, I've bitten and I won't let go.  
_    
The shirt was above Paris's breasts and Lorelai was stunned by the very sight of them. She wanted to bash Jamie's head into a pole for even thinking they weren't worthy as she stared in a trance at the young woman. Her mind had taken in the shape and definition of both of them, remembering the feel and shape of each of them, and of how Paris responded to her touch in a very sensitive manner. She kept staring, her hands at her sides, resisting the temptation to touch.  
   
"Beautiful," she mouthed as Paris pulled the soccer jersey over her head and tossed it carelessly onto the post next to her where it draped down. Static from the material caused her hair to fly in several directions. She pulled it back, only letting Lorelai into a few movements of her eye. She sat on the bed forming herself into the memory material of the mattress, crossing her legs campfire style, relaxing in the silence of her guide scanning her body. She was flushed, a little of her Jewish guilt making sure she remained ever embarrassed about something despite the woman sending sexual daggers throughout her body.

Slowly she reinsulated Lorelai into nothing else but enjoying her, moving in and placing her hands on Lorelai's face as she began to instigate a slow and lingering kiss that seared the woman's synapses. At first it was just soft and slow but it began to quickly drift into a teasing buss as she tested the woman further. They became aggressive towards each other slowly, letting themselves guide themselves without any kind of timing. The intimacy they shared was close, with the blonde surprising the brunette by learning from the kisses of before. Lorelai closed her eyes to take in the one sense of touch, heating up in the small area they shared.  
   
The pressure between them heightened with each new kiss. Tongues tangling, hands wandering, and Lorelai began to feel in almost a laying position with only her feet keeping her up. Paris fisted the fabric of the pajama shirt as she began to feel the need to divest, but controlled herself for her own good. She released as she let a trail of combined saliva fall from the corner of her mouth, wiping it with her arm, her brown eyes filled with heavy desire and want. She was far gone, everything about her given mores slipping away with each new buss. Lorelai pressed against her with her breasts. She looked at Lorelai and placed her hands along the middle of the shirt to quickly unbutton it.  
   
Before she could, Lorelai stopped her with a smoky gaze.  
   
"Your father has many more of these," she suggested. Nodding, she made Paris understand what she was alluding to.  
   
Paris smiled, quickly finding the track and tightening her fists around each side of the article of clothing. "Just don't complain when you need to borrow a safety pin in the morning."

"When Rory's away for a weekend..." Lorelai whispered, another fluttering kiss shared. "I don't wear a thing at all." Her hands moved towards Paris's hips as she lay on the bed. Breath deepening, her eyes did not show any more fear at all. She wanted to instigate, to feel herself let go. Remembering the fire in the kitchen, she wanted to see how the blonde was when she was wild and free herself. "I drink milk right out of the jug as I let the fridge cool my body off on a hot day. Air conditioning isn't needed when the only thing cooling me is those pores God gave me and a fan."

"No kidding me?" Paris was still a bit skeptical. "What if someone comes to the door?"

"Robes at the doors on each side of the house."

"Have it all planned out then, eh?" She pulled the shirt apart a bit to test the tensile strength of the buttons. "Do you touch yourself?"

"How else can I arouse the sweat?" She shook her hair out.  
   
"Do you touch yourself to me?"

Lorelai nodded. "You know what I do when I think about you in my bed?"

"Hmm?" Paris moved in closer, predatory, ready to cross that final line.  
   
"Nothing but knee socks." Lorelai opened her legs up to entice Paris against her. "Hair over your breasts and touching yourself with your left hand. The uniform...all over the place, panties and skirt at your feet."

"Damn." Paris found her mind overwhelmed by the image, that thin tether of control breaking apart. "All this from looking at me naked twice?"

"That's just a summary." Lorelai dared to flirt with the fringe of the girl's panties. "I memorized. I know how you look from head to toe. I know how wet you get, how your face tightens up with you hit orgasm. How you smell, how you taste..." She dipped a finger through the leg of the silk article. "I know how you scream and how you have that little shiver of anticipation when I move within an inch of moving inside of you."  
   
She was playing with fire as her manicured fingernail lingered slowly against the cleft of her rear. "I know things about you from the way you fuck that even your doctor would never know, young lady. How you come off as wanting to be controlled, but you love losing it. And then when you get to move to the other side of the coin, you process me as open and willing to do whatever you want. I'm clay in your hands."

Paris smiled, enjoying how Lorelai saw her instead of just the bitch everyone else saw her as. Lorelai saw her as more than that.  
   
To her, she was a woman. But more than that, she was a lover.  
   
"One more small thing you know about me," she teased. "Tell me one thing no one else has ever noticed unless they look very closely." She wanted to test to see if Lorelai had truly memorized her all.  
   
Lorelai's eyes were upon Paris. She fluttered her eyelashes and with a casual smile, told of the one thing Jamie had missed in the eight months he had been able to call Paris his.  
   
"You have a blue tattoo of a star on your right ankle," she stated confidently. "What it's for, I don't know. But it had to be from something where you felt a rebellious mood. Like...the divorce of your parents?"

Paris couldn't believe it. _She does really know all of me_. She had to catch her breath to realize that she was falling for the woman below her more and more with each new facet opened up to her.  
   
She moved her right hand down to the waistband of the boxers, pulling the material down just enough down Lorelai's hip to expose the brunette's own dirty little secret. An observer herself, she felt emboldened as she used only her left hand to tear open the pajama shirt from the front, buttons flying all over the place as Lorelai shrieked happily, giggling softly as Paris's deep browns reflected the happiness lurking within the deep passion of the moment they shared.

Paris bit on her lip before making her long-held observation, her fingers pushing aside the boxer material and feeling along the sensitive skin which treaded a line which Lorelai had long literally let grow fallow until the beginning of her new and burgeoning affair. Lorelai held her breath tightly in surprise.  
   
"Eighteenth birthday for you, I would surmise. The age and the circumstances suggest it." She pulled the silk boxers down further, looking up to take in her lover's reaction. "I would have never guessed that you would have gotten something like it."

"Is it appropriate?"

"For you, it is the only possible word I would ever associate with you." Her eyes stayed on the exact spot. " _Libre._ "  
   
"Indeed."  
   
"And nobody else knows."

Lorelai shook her head. "Almost nobody." She cleared her throat. "I purposely placed it there so it was of only my knowledge and possibly that of someone intimate. If Max knew, he never said a word."

Paris traced the shape. " _Amor libre_. Too literal, but you don't need to be complex. The message is simple, yet it says so much." The fingernail scraping in the shape of a heart, Lorelai felt the need to lightly grasp at the mattress. "You revealed this, to me."  
   
"Well, it was more for comfort when I head overseas, but...a little bit of this baring my heart played into it."

"Your heart is beautiful, Ms. Gilmore." Paris lowered her mouth to the small heart brushing just outside the right of the older woman's bikini line, colored red, outlined in black and with the nine small letters in a seriffed script meticulously crafted in March 1986. She kissed it, letting her tongue run along the slightly dampened lips. A corner of her mouth nipped playfully at her slit, and then she lifted back up. "You truly are beautiful." She moved back up to take off the pajama shirt from the woman while Lorelai wriggled the shorts off from her hips to kick them down.  
   
"We all have secrets," she intoned deeply. "We all have needs and desires."

"We do." Her hands trailed the shirt down the woman's arms. "Your secrets are waiting to be unlocked, aren't they?" She felt bold, turned on, deeply out of her usual element and ready to take charge of her own destiny when it came to her heart. "I may be half your age, but I know that we're sharing something with each other that makes these numbers irrelevant."

"God, I love your million dollar words, baby." The final portion of the shirt came off, leaving Lorelai nude again, this time fully open and willing for the young woman above her to make love to her. "I think of you as Par. That's all. No number, no age, nothing more but you."

"For something that seems so physical, we're putting a lot of emotions into this," Paris observed. "I need you to just promise one thing to me before I go forward." She wanted to break down the big fear in the room. The one Rory complained about all the time.  
   
"What's that?" Lorelai was ready to face the music.  
   
"We both talk. We both let things between us evolve. Whatever this summer brings, the uncertainty and distance that will keep us apart." She pulled Lorelai close to her, reveling in the woman's soft and moist skin. "I want to take this as far as possible. When you leave in the morning you're free--"

"Paris?" Lorelai stopped her with a serious look. "I cannot promise I might change my mind about us in Europe. What I can do is tell you that this will not be the last time we ever see each other. I would rather be here than anywhere else."

"I'd rather be here too," Paris confessed. "I wish you didn't have to leave."

"But you still respect me for what I do." Paris nodded. "I cannot promise I might change my mind, but I can tell you that I think of you highly. You make me feel young, wanted and beautiful. Paris...if this is the last time that we ever do see each other, like this." Her lip quivered as she felt emotions well up, tears falling. "I am not...I know that we both are not in this for those three words. Right now, they are not in play. But if this is it..." She cried. "I would thank God that you were the last person who made love to me."

Paris's heart beat picked up. She couldn't believe the confession of the other woman. She felt ever more emboldened and desired. In the space of a month, she had gone from being 'doting girlfriend' to 'dirty little secret'. In other circumstances that would have made her feel ashamed.  
   
With Lorelai Gilmore in her arms, that was not the term to be used.  
   
She saw clear blue eyes filled with want and need. She felt taut muscles in the innkeeper's back, took in the unfiltered scent of her desire. In her hands, she felt the coolness of her arousal, the small dampened drops upon her fingerprints. Her heart pounding, the soft sound of her breath. The soft texture of her legs, the heft of her breasts, the beautiful words she spoke.

Paris didn't see Lorelai as 'Rory's mother' any longer. In every sense except that sealed up in the three words, she was Lorelai's lover.  
   
A finger days before which had felt the parchment of her diploma circled softly against the erect flesh of Lorelai's clit. Her lips were plump and damp. The only thing keeping the two women from the basest of needs was a cotton barrier soaked from how aroused the student was for the woman who dared to direct her thinking elsewhere in all senses.  
   
Lorelai gasped as the circle stroke shocked through her system. Then she opened her eyes and saw Paris round her tongue around her mouth.  
   
"You will not leave until two in the afternoon," she commanded. Lorelai nodded. "And you will not leave this bed until you've not only slept your stress away, but fucked it out of your system." She felt incredibly bold. "You are not anyone else's person. Not your mother's, not your daughter's, your father's." She moved down. "Your daughter made her goal. She's going to Harvard. I did not make my goal. I'm headed to Yale." One kiss upon each nipple, a suckle and a nip, which caused Lorelai's blood sugar to plunge for a small moment. "You're Lorelai Gilmore. You are you." Kisses down her middle. "You are sexual." Closer kisses. "You are beautiful." Long blonde locks trailed across the woman's torso. "The love I will make with you will be true, uncorrupted, and between only the both of us."

Her mouth quivered as she lowered herself to the other woman's entrance. "I know that I don't seem to be much for romance, but I enjoy being this way. Secretive and serene only around you. Whatever happened on that afternoon to draw me towards you, I still have no idea why. But I do know that I want to see how beautiful you are when the only thing you have to worry about is how much you want to let yourself go with me."  
   
"Par..." She looked down, bottom lip quivering, her eyes almost iridescent. "I don't want you to hold back at all. I'm yours."

The understanding was made. Eye to eye, the former adversaries had found their final ground. Not involving the girl between them, but with each other. There was no turning back. Paris lowered her mouth to her lover's dampened mound without another word.  
   
A month ago she would have never pictured being so intimate with Lorelai.  
   
A month ago, Lorelai paid no mind to any attraction to the blonde hellfire.  
   
In that indeterminate period of time, the woman began to finally feel the heft of her eighteen years of sacrifice lift from her shoulders while the younger woman took her to an ecstasy she thought she would never find. She was no longer lost or just content on her former experiences of sex. Comfortable as Paris took her slowly and languidly, she felt the push and pull of each action, the passion of the girl to leave her mark upon her with each new kiss, touch, nip, brush. Her eyes looked beyond the surface of the innkeeper and she used her nose to trace the vivacious woman's freckles into her own personal constellations, describing them in ways that even if she didn't understand, Lorelai was still in awe over.  
   
Feeling Paris's weight upon hers, she no longer saw any doubt coloring the graduate's spirited brown eyes. She felt the trace of the girl's fingernails along her skin, the lathing of her bud to tease further. Her voice groaned with each contraction, her body tightening upon the mattress. Her hands took in Paris's torso, her classical hips and her thick thighs. She found not one blemish to criticize, especially hearing the girl command her to slowly let everything out. So much stress had built up in her since the fire and her reluctance to see anyone for treatment of her anger and doubts over the situation had built up over the last four months.  
   
She was letting it go. With each new brush of Paris's tongue against her, Lorelai felt her harried stress seem to melt away.  
   
"Ohhh...ohhh...yeahhh..." Her eyes tightened closed as she basked in the deep emotions of the last few hours. She found that Paris was not one to stay on a well-worn track at all as she pleased her. She kept switching up the way she made love to the woman, not staying in one direction for long, pausing, looking up and trying to find if she was still in ecstasy. She also continued the dirty talk further, her self-censor almost completely melting away around the Child of Shame. Soft puffs of air against her cleft, drifting into the back, she quivered as the blonde above her obliterated all traces of the nervous girl with the Jaguar who had first visited her house two years ago.  
   
She felt more open in that moment with the blonde student than she ever did with Christopher, opening her defenses and knowing that if she had not found a lover, she had at least found a new friend in life who would allow her a shoulder and the opportunity to vent about anything without reprisal. The idea of having a friend in Paris Gellar was likely odd to everyone else, but she saw so much of herself in her. Someone who used humor and cynicism to shield her soul and had vulnerabilities she never revealed to anybody.  
   
Lorelai couldn't even think of anybody else, about the complications she knew were coming in the future, the many roadblocks that were sure to ensue. They were not only on the back burner, but behind the range like a novelty chicken egg timer that fell behind it long ago.  
   
All that mattered in that moment was the connection she felt with Paris, nothing more. The long wait between their last meeting only heightened the feelings she had for the young woman. She felt no guilt any longer, any fears that it was wrong. She felt herself let go as the blonde seemed to find her points of arousal, slowly experimenting with both her hands and her lips.  
   
"I'm gonna try something here," Paris said, moving her mouth above her lover's slit. "Tell me if this feels good to you. Just be honest." She rubbed her hands in a circular motion below Lorelai's stomach while kissing the flesh at the same time. Pressing her palm softly against the flesh, she used her hands to open up the clit to full view and began to suckle at the erect tissue with her lips and tongue while pressing her hand against the pubic bone.  
   
"Christ, Par!" She felt a jolt though her spine immediately as the combined sensations pressed against her. "Shit!" She lifted her mouth, and then moved up.  
   
"Obviously I've hit a nerve," she declared sweetly with a raspy laugh as Lorelai reached her arms to hold the headboard with a light grip. "Plenty of nerves, actually."

Lorelai hyperventilated. "Never...felt that...before."

"Love that?" Lorelai nodded. "Bet you feel a nice bit of pressure down there, right?" Another nod. "I bet I can do something else." She challenged herself silently.  
   
"What are you going to do--"

"Let yourself go, baby. Just let your muscles fully release and focus all your energy down there." Her voice became a soothing whisper. "This isn't going to go so fast, so don't prepare yourself to cum right away."

"Torture me?"

"That's why your secret name for me is 'tease'." She felt the confidence of bringing Lorelai to orgasm build up within her and bound herself to that goal. She positioned herself so her rear was straight up in the air, an alluring position in the other woman's view, along with the curtain of hair surrounding the academic's face.

Along with that devastating smirk. Paris's smile when she was about to do something naughty always got to Lorelai long before they had come together. It hinted at the mischief beneath the firm façade. With brown eyes burning into her, she knew she was in for something she never experienced before.  
   
"Are you ready?" Paris asked one more time, giving that small little bit of out to Lorelai if she wasn't. Lorelai settled back on the bed, closing her eyes with a contented moan.  
   
"Mmmm...yessss..."

So it began, the blonde finally finding her revenge on Lorelai turning the tables in the pool. She felt embarrassed about having such a hard come at first, but soon after the flush build up and the desire hooded in both of their eyes built up anew to that moment. Paris placed pressure upon the soft tissue again, slow circles and suckling at her clit slowly to draw her out. The small whimpers from Lorelai's throat gave her the cues to find a medium and she would test them occasionally to piss off the woman. Her thing for hearing the 'cool mom' swear was in full force as she got a load of the vocabulary Rory was embarrassed to hearing during heavy movie mocking.  
   
"Goddamn," she seethed out harshly while Paris signaled for her to widen her legs. She pressed her mouth against Lorelai's slit, up and down motions, slowly teasing the nub while pressing as softly as she could against her pubic bone. She had a feeling there were many sensitive spots that had been unexplored in years.

"Christopher is routine, right?" She was harsh, but kind to the scruffy man as she used her words to slicken her lover. "Just goes right in for the pie."

"He hates pie...he's more for cake." Lorelai smirked. "Plain vanilla...cake."

"Does he ever hit you...here?" She pressed fingers against that her midsection below her navel.  
   
"Oh, fuck!!!" She grasped the mattress hard. "My goodness..."

"Yeah, those are the nerves. The nerves you touch when you think of me," she said, proud of herself. "You press your head against your headboard, get naked and you just think of me right here...right here doing this."

"God, Parrrr...." She went back in, applying pressure against the hot flesh. She knew she was getting hot and exploited it, continuing to heat the woman through rhetoric and action. She spoke about dreams, depraving herself alone while she was in the _Franklin_ darkroom. How badly she wanted the woman through the last thirteen days.  
   
"Touch me...touch...fuck..." She drove the heel of her hand in deep, intending to leave marks. But then she moved up to settle Lorelai down and began to do what she wanted more than anything. Her hoarse voice streamed within the shell of her sensitive ears as she made clear her intentions.  
   
"I'm gonna mark you, Ms. G." Her voice in that greeting reminded Lorelai of Eddie Haskell doing naughty things to June. "You're beautiful, but I'm just tired of being reminded every time that I have nothing of you except for clothing and memories. I'm going to leave you marked."

She quivered at the insinuations. "How...how bad?"  
   
"Just be glad the Czech Republic doesn't have sea frontage. They're going to take awhile to fade. That means you might want to be more modest than usual around your daughter. Or anyone in the Hollow." She laughed softly as Lorelai felt her skin prickle.  
   
"So you're going to make it so only you can see me in the buff." Now Lorelai was smiling a bit. "Putting me off limits to everyone else, Par? Keeping me all for your own? Staking your claim on me?"

"Just a friendly reminder that I enjoy being a dirty little secret, Ms. G." She stroked the woman's stomach. "Your days of seducing a guy with a wink and a little leg are over."

"I never show my legs--" Lorelai was as Paris pressed her nails deep into her freckled back. "Owwwww! What the fuck?!" She felt herself immediately seize as she felt the scrapes jar through her system. Paris bared her teeth. "Ohhh...ohhh God!!"

"All those short skirts are just for show then. I get it. Never mind that I've wished to hitch one of them up and feel nothing but hot...and sopping...cunt." She slid her fingers in slightly, pressing them in and out of Lorelai's womanhood. "Bury my fingers inside and just take you where Chris never could."

"Active...imagination..." She pushed in further, three fingers twined together as if in a small pyramid. "Damn!"

"Render you speechless and finally shut you up for just a few minutes. You want that, to make your vocal chords do something besides make a quick and witty observation about Pop Rocks and Coke..."

"Tried it once...not the big deal everyone...made it out to be."

"Ride it out...Ride it out. Just me here, Lor, nobody else. God, fuck my fingers. Just take them tight and make them slick." She pushed in deeper, hooking her fingers in against the woman's pelvic wall. She imagined it as different, less slick and more open.  
   
She enjoyed failing to get the answer wrong for once. Lorelai was tight and wet, tensioned up and waiting for her. She felt the pressure grow as Lorelai closed her legs in around her. Lorelai's arms stretched across the blonde to bring her close, her hands upon her younger lover's rear as she tried to ride it out. Feeling Paris inside of her was a feeling the hotelier was feeling very comfortable in basking in.  
   
"Fuck me...oh, fuck me...fuck...shit..."  
   
Paris's fingers were inside of her past the knuckles while she kissed her stomach, her nose brushing against her navel sensually.  
   
"Cute...nose." It was a surprising compliment that made Paris shudder deeply.

"Lor..."

"God, take me deeper. Ohhh...ohh..." She whimpered softly as Paris did all she could to hasten the orgasm but keep it stretched out. Her mouth left three new love bites just below Lorelai's bikini line, including right on her small tattoo. "Finish me off, please!"  
   
"My God." Paris was taken aback at how much pressure was on her body. She felt overly sensitive herself. "God, Lorelai, please help me out."

"How?"

"I...I need to feel you." She felt nervous about revealing what she wanted, and afraid the woman would find it to be too much. "Your hands...please."

"Please, where?"

"Fingers..want to feel you. I want to cum." Paris begged her to keep some control. "Finger me."

"Deep?" She reached her left hand around, fingers in front, and her thumb flirting with the bottom of her puckered and sensitive flesh. "How does that feel, baby?"

Paris gasped, having to quickly catch her breath. "That...is perfect."

"Like...this?" She opened the girl up with two fingers and slid the middle two of the four inside the wettened walls of her blonde lover.

"Ummm, yeahhhh." But it wasn't enough. "I still want you to tease me though."

"How?" Lorelai wanted to hear it from Paris herself before she went further.  
   
"I'm not shy...rim that thumb...around..." She pushed her posterior against the digit. "Oh, God...wanted this done for so long." Lorelai circled the thumb around the sensitive rosebud, careful with her touches. The glazed look on her lover's eyes told her she was doing just perfectly.  
   
"Ohh yeah..." The women began to establish a rhythm, Paris riding Lorelai's fingers with her ass up high while she went down on Lorelai. Soon they could no longer hold a conversation at all.  They were completely lost in each other, floating above the world as they went from fast and passionate to slow and leisurely. Their positioning became more normal, against each other as they soon repositioned for the sake of Paris's concern that she didn't want to send Lorelai to Europe in crutches. They pushed hard against the headboard, touching everywhere, their bodies heated beyond all rationality, moans and screams echoing through the bedroom.  
   
Paris had no idea that she was that sensitive. Lorelai moved her hand out to below Paris's abdomen, applying pressure against her pelvic wall against the bone. The impact of the stroking was immediate as Paris pushed harder against the pressure, screaming against Lorelai. Soon they were wrapped together, tangled up, hands and legs tangled, beginning to push themselves to their limits. Paris cursed roughly under her breath, eyes hot as the strokes increased, the pressure bubbling up. Her bones felt like they were creaking, her body pushed to its very limits as Paris applied heavy pressure against her on all fronts. Kissing across her body, especially her breasts and the triangle down to her belly, the blonde worked her well despite the innkeeper's own stroking.  
   
"Ohhh....ohhh Goddd...ohhh Par..." She shivered against the slight girl, the orgasm building with her so powerful she felt as if her blood flow was thinning. Paris felt the vibrations within her as the woman shook, giving her some pleasurable sensations herself. They moved to the foot of the bed, needing the full comfort impeded by pillows and the headboard. They were able to stretch out across the wide surface and give into all they wanted. Soon, Lorelai begged for another finger...three fingers within her walls. They were thin and all fit perfect as Paris's thumb stroked her clit.  
   
She tightened her legs around the girl to feel her deeper and removed her hand to grasp at Paris's ass tightly to ride it out. Brown on blue, she only saw Paris within her sights, begging her to come and complimenting how wet she was. The trigger was building, her clit almost at its limit. She nipped lightly at Lorelai's neck, then lingered her tongue erotically against her ear lobe while whispering.  
   
"I'd love to have an excuse to sleep with you after you had a nice cum, Ms. Gilmore. I want to feel you come hard against me. Take it all in." Pushing in and out harder and harder. "Let yourself open to me as much as you can. I'm here for you, Lor. Always here."

"Par...Par...oh Jesus!" She felt her muscles completely tighten up, all of them becoming rigid as she began to reach her peak. Her hair was completely ruined, the natural curls undone out of the iron from the sweat and shower. To anyone else, she would look like a complete mess, but Paris found it so sensual to have Lorelai Gilmore raw and unadulterated. Her hands freely ran through the voluminous locks as she stroked the well-hidden nape of Lorelai's neck, sliding a fingernail against the pressure. Light caresses, wandering, tracing her name and shapes in circles while kissing her lover deeply.

She didn't know what she was discovering. Lorelai closed herself in as tight as she could and she quickly felt the pressure rising. Her eyes glazed over and closed, sexy little murmurs of approval forced from her throat.  
   
Paris knew she found that certain spot Lorelai hid. She pushed further, digging her nail in and hoping to leave a small scar. Her other hand caressed beneath Lorelai's left underarm, slick, but incredibly sensitive.  
   
The effect was immediate. Lorelai closed in and felt her entire body tingle. She knew what was building. But she was also scared.  
   
"Pleeeease...watch out..." She almost said it in a sob.  
   
"For what?"

"I...I, when you...I cum...alot..."

"A lot?" Paris smiled, a kiss upon Lorelai's chin and then upon the right side of her neck. "I think I can live with that." She felt that anticipation between Lorelai's loins. She'd spill over soon.  
   
"A lot," she confirmed.

"Then..." a whisper. "You cum a lot. I wouldn't mind smelling you in my bed the next few weeks."

"FUCK!" Faster...faster. Anticipation building.  
   
"That's it Lor..."

"Yes...yess...ohh, yessss!"

"Come for me, baby, please, come for your bitch. Let her feel you all over, how you can't stop thinking of her." Lorelai gurgled, trying to catch a heavy breath. "Almost there, Lor, get there, get there."

"Par."

"Lorrr...  
   
"Paaaarrrrr..."

"Lorelai..." the name drawn out with full passion. Harder...harder, clenching tightly...  
   
"Paaaaaaaarrrisssssss!!!!" Suddenly she hit the wall hard. Very hard. Her body went still as she suddenly felt that first force of a contraction within her walls. In those last few moments, four fingers were within her, one thumb upon her clit. With all of the pressure the student could offer, the teacher was well-schooled as she came with a force she never felt before in her entire life. She screamed hard within the bed, her grasp on Paris so tight she almost left bruising upon her lover's ass. Cursing rushed 'fuck me's' as he went through the final process, she felt that gush of fluid forced from her, a hard couple of surges from her body that she was sure would be almost abnormal. She was usually able to hold back, but not this time. The come was definitely full and hard and Paris stilled as the fluid forced from her inner mostreservoir. She tightened as close to Paris as she could, wanting that security and love as close to her as could physically be given. Hyperventilating, her only words were Paris's name, interchanged with those of higher being. Paris kissed her forehead soothingly as the remainders squeezed out and brought her close to her. The thought of Lorelai taking an orgasm from her when she had just given her. The woman actually teared up as she felt her entire being changed from that moment. She choked back as they both relaxed back in the middle of the bed, their bodies slick and hearts both pounding fast.  
   
It took Lorelai awhile to find speech again. The orgasm she just experienced having been deeper than any she had felt in her entire life. Paris's grip against her was light, upon the small of her back as she was careful to be kind to the woman, leaving small kisses up on her face and helping her relax. She ran fingers through Lorelai's hair, encouraging her.  
   
"So all right," she said, her voice soft. "It's so all right to do that, Lor." Her hand dampened with arousal she wiped it against the bed, but residual wetness remained as she settled Lorelai's head upon the pillow. "That was so intense. I don't think I've ever seen that before." She let Lorelai continue to settle, knowing it would take awhile for her to calm down. Showing all the care she had she just held Lorelai quiet against her, keeping her hands on her back, letting her relax into the soft pillows and blankets, throwing the heavy comforter against her lover.  
   
 _I never saw anything that intense_ , she thought. Usually Lorelai was the one to push her so hard, but it was much different within this situation. She looked as if completely relaxed and undone, her heart rate still rapid and eyes glazed over, breath taken in almost in a desperate manner. Her fingers circled the woman's back as she tried to bring her back to normalcy. The pause was long and Lorelai was too overwhelmed to say a word.  
   
Finally she lay back in the bed and turned to face the girl who had shaken her entire foundation. Her voice was a whisper as she attempted to recover.  
   
"I actually stopped breathing in those last few moments," she confessed.  
   
Paris was highly startled by the admission. "Whuh?" She couldn't understand. "No, I assure you, I felt you breathing, Lor."

"I did. I glazed out just before that orgasm hit. My air was totally...knocked out. For serious, it was." She shook her head. "I have never in my entire life ended up at that point." She tried to make sense of it. "I blacked out, babe. Only for a few slight moments. But I did. I just lost two seconds of my life and almost experienced a literal _la petite morte_ from your doing."

"God, I'm sorry." Paris was scared. "You...you know I would have never meant to--"

"Par, no." She brushed a finger across her cheek. "I mean that it was a good kind of blacking out. The kind where my body experienced so much euphoria and bliss in that one moment, my systems had to minimize the impact before it just made it go completely haywire. What you just did..." A pause. Then the slightest reassuring smile. "You gave me the deepest and most emotional orgasm a woman can ever have. You hit that wall that just...it just goes wayyyy beyond the G-spot. Not even fucking close to what that does. I think...oh my God." She couldn't find the words to express herself. "You got me right in the uterus. Now I'm no sex expert, but I know a few things. And I damn well know that you hit my A-spot. So much more intense than I have ever found before during sex. It was the most emotionally pulling thing I have ever felt in my entire life." Her eyes welling up with tears, she stared at the girl, all thoughts of ever abandoning her disappearing with the emotional connection they had shared through the last few hours. "This...this...Par, if you feel guilty about making me feel so wonderful, I want you to stop now. Words will never describe how thankful I am that you're so willingly open to me, including sharing your heart in the way you are."

"I just don't ever want to hurt you, Lor." Paris felt a sting through her body, the shock that by her doing that she caused Lorelai to truly feel for the first time in so long a shock to her entire being. "I just saw that and I thought--"

"Stop thinking, hon," she said with a serious tone. "There is no need to think this and try to assert in your own mind that this was wrong. That...that is you finally finding my shut-off switch. I have no words. It's a high I'll be chasing after for the rest of my life. I couldn't stand how hot it was to feel you pressing inside of me while showing how much you feel for me." She clasped her hand into Paris's. "My heart is just so overwhelmed by this trust you suddenly have offered me, and I don't know how I can ever thank you for saying you consider me a friend." She took a deep breath as Paris nuzzled her nose against hers. "I never gave you enough credit. I always thought you were just an intense bitch intending on knocking my daughter down. But you are so much more than that. So much more." Her other hand slid through Paris's hair, silky strands providing her so much comfort. "You are a fighter and your heart...your heart is so kind, but also so closed, yet the small opening into it is proving to me that you're so much more than just a robotic student going through the motions. You're warm, you're loving, and so kind, and..."  
   
Crying again, Lorelai didn't feel like the mature 35 year-old she was supposed to be. Instead she was just a lover, wanting more from the girl she would have never thought so passionate.  
   
"I really do not deserve you," she admitted. "I--"

Her hand was held tightly as Paris's voice was firm and final. "You will never say that again."

"But--"

"Listen to me right now." She had Lorelai's full attention. "I don't even feel like I deserve you myself. But that's something we cannot ever discuss. Whatever **we** feel, that's outside influence trying to butt in. We're just two women in this room right now, and whatever the perception anyone else has, we're both somehow in this odd way, the perfect compliments to each other. We balance out. Everything about us, it doesn't make sense. But I want to make this work. I don't want to give this up. And I don't want you to give up, afraid of Emily, of Rory, of the town. We will confront them all one day. But for now, we just explore together. At our own pace. Together. I am not going to give up on you, Lor."  
   
"Not even if I'm a continent away?" She frowned, feeling the hate for the long-time trip build up once again. "You should be free to discover love if you find it, and you don't need me. We're--"

"Lorelai." One pause. "I don't need you. I **want** only you." She kissed her again. "I would not have invited you here had I just wanted to end things after this evening. I am willing to wait as long as you need to. I'm not going to be cold to you and just end it here because it's convenient."  
   
"I just...I don't want you to have to feel some kind of betrothment to me when there's no way to contact me over the next two months."

"No way to contact you?" Smiling, Paris eased the woman out of her state of mind by reminding her of the wonders of technology. "You can write a letter to my PO box; rest assured I'm the only one who ever checks it. You also forget that I have a phone plan that pretty much lets me do anything I want, even international calling."

"Or texting?" Lorelai was beginning to find her point. "So when I'm in the middle of nowhere with that phone my mother's making me buy, I can read you sending 'thinking of you's my way?

Paris nodded. "Just keep it away from Rory and all will be well." She settled her head onto the bed. "All is well now, for sure."

"It is." Lorelai rolled her eyes back. "Oh my God, is it ever well!" She softly laughed as she curled Paris against her. "So we're in this."

Paris had no hesitation. "Still can't get over my skills in cunnlinguism, can you, Lor?"

"But you haven't gone down on me yet," she reminded the young student. "You're probably still looking for that payback."

"No, I got it by swiping your panties," she assured. "And if you had any more energy, I'd try to stretch this out a little more tonight." Lorelai's tired eyes told the story; she needed a good night's sleep desperately. "But this is probably the night you need to relax much more. You need sleep."

"I could handle--" Paris kissed the woman softly, feeling already that the woman's body was beginning an extreme crash.  
   
"You can't. If we're going for a marathon night, it's not this one. I need you in full 100% shape and willing to forgo sleep. You cannot do that. I caught you on the one night you needed to rest and it was wonderful, passionate, erotic. Had we not been in the pool though this night would have ended three hours ago." Looking into Lorelai's eyes, she felt a sting within her heart, a protective mechanism over a woman half her age that she never had with any of her friends. The woman was about to embark on the most stressful year of her life, travelling the world, opening an inn and making sure that it could establish itself in the marketplace.  
   
A moment's peace was not a luxury for Lorelai--it had to be a necessity. She saw sleep ring her eyes and knew that she was content with what they had done for the evening. It had been one of her best evenings, and she was thankful that her lover wasn't ready to leave tonight.  
   
Still, Lorelai felt guilt over her sleep cycle, as the two women snuggled into each other within the heavy blankets. "So you're not mad at me? I really think I could stand to stay up...just a little longer."  
   
Paris shook her head. "We still have tomorrow morning. Maybe a bit of the afternoon if you can figure out how to stay a few more hours."  
   
"Every little moment," Lorelai said, pecking her lover's lips. "I think I can just say Sominex whipped my ass after I got to the hotel?"

"That sounds so wrong with the whipping." Paris giggled. "However, if you are into whipping..." She wagged her eyebrows, making Lorelai blush violently, but yet she was a bit open to the idea.  
   
"Are you sure you were born in 1984? Sometimes I think you're a newspaper writer trying to get a story and reliving her high school years in disguise."

"I'm not Drew Barrymore, and I have a birth certificate proving my date of birth. I was not born in 1977."

"Sometimes I think you are lately, hon." She curled up against the blonde, soft skin and supple breasts so enjoyable to her after years of having to deal with male body hair in the afterglow. "Your stamina is overpowering. Why anyone else never looked at you I'll never figure out."

"You know why?" Paris was soft with her words. "They didn't get to know the real me. They just saw me as this intense girl and that's all they saw." She brought the sheets close to her body, clasping her hand into Lorelai's. "Even Rory at times, I feel like she just sees me as nothing more than an annoyance. And I play into that on purpose, because it's what I have to do. I have to cause pain and make everyone think twice when it comes to showing my emotions. But you just make it too easy to get along with you, to drop the airs. I...I just feel this connection with you that at times makes me shudder in anticipation and want for more. Then there are other times where I think about you and it just seems so intimidating to be with you. I mean, that first time when we were flirting, it was strange."

"Because it was in a classroom and over a cash box?"

"Mm-hmm. The date with Tristan, it had all of this ceremony behind it, and Jamie got down on bended knee to ask for me in school. It was more than a little mortifying, being treated as if I had to be wooed in a ridiculously traditional way. But us...it was completely different, a 180. There was just this subtle undercurrent that built between us over the last couple years and then, it just combusted. I guess it just needed to."

"I would have never expected it either. You, of anyone I ever met, there's no shyness between us." Lorelai felt comfortable, her eyes struggling to stay open. "Especially the week after when you came to the house. When I saw you when you slept, it was like I was a teenager all over again. Looking at you sleeping, and then you tended to me and my ankle and it just all fit together perfectly. There just wasn't any ceremony there. Just a raw connection, a need." A soft yawn. "And talking."

"Lots of talking. We both talk, and that's more important to build a bond beyond great sex. Not that said great sex hasn't helped." Paris softly chortled as she felt Lorelai pinch her stomach. "That and you enjoy touching me."

"How can I not? Your skin is just heavenly. You don't have to do much with it, yet you're blessed..." Another yawn. "OK, I think I'm finally getting the point of this whole letting me sleep thing."  
   
"Finally the woman gets it at..." Paris stretched over to look at the charcoal Bose radio sitting at her bedside to read the green digits listing the time, "...3:17am."

"I'm going to fall asleep eventually. Hmmph!" She tried to take some covers from Paris in a joking manner. "Besides, you did keep me up, missy."

"I would have actually been content if your bladder somehow managed to betray my prediction and keep you asleep for a few more hours."

"Yes, but what would you have done? That book would've been long read, your skin would've pruned after an hour swim in the pool and there you'd be waiting for me to wake up."

"Which is why I keep meticulous notes in every class I take, and judge from experience."

"What you did tonight?" Lorelai smiled at her. "That wasn't experience, babe. That was your heart showing me how wonderful a girl you are."

The blonde was stunned silent from the compliment, blinking her eyes a few times as she tried to find a retort. But she felt Lorelai slide against her and there was nothing she could say in response. _You're filled with surprises, Lorelai_ , she thought to herself, her heart racing from what she had done in the last few hours to take their secret romance far beyond what she ever imagined. She had expected nothing more than telling Lorelai about Yale and getting some fun in.  
   
Now, she knew between them, there was an undercurrent that was building to the surface.  
   
"Night, Par." The taller woman curled into the younger woman and closed her eyes, and Paris could hardly react beyond fumbling for the lighting remote on the night stand to fade the room to dark.

"Goodnight, Lorelai," she whispered back, only to find the woman already asleep within only a few short moments. She shifted herself into her sleeping position, the same manner she was in two weeks ago in Lorelai's bed. Nothing between them but heat and flesh Paris felt a bit warm while Lorelai's deeply aromatic scent after sex drifted through her nose.

Eight hours before she had been nervous about everything, her mind thinking that Lorelai was only coming to tell her to discontinue her pursuit, that she wasn't going to explore her feelings with her any longer. She was even ready to end it herself if her nerves got to her.  
   
But now she was in her own bed, with her lover, coming off truly the most passionate love she had made yet with the woman, and she already felt that feeling in her soul that she would have to carry around from Hartford, to New Haven, up to Boston and then to Coeur d'Alene for the next two months.  
   
 _God, I don't ask you for much, but if you could please slow down time for the next few hours? I don't usually get into sticky situations, so if you could keep everyone away from here? I promise you the next thing I ask will be a bit less shallow._ Her mind wound down as she felt her sore body desperately needing rest, and with one last peck upon Lorelai's forehead, she began to give in to her natural somnolence, all of her stress dissipating through the halls of the Manor from what she and the woman had felt for each other through that evening.  
   
She was already plotting in her mind however. There had to be a way for to say goodbye to Lorelai in the morning. It would come to her eventually, she hoped.  
   
"Or I may not have to burn one neuron." Mouthing the words she fell asleep, her body anticipating further adventures upon her waking. If anything, she knew Lorelai wasn't going to let her go on with the rest of her summer without marking her in a memorable manner that would truly leave Jamie in the dust.  


* * *

 ** Paris's Bedroom, 11:57am, Next Day  
**   
The last time Lorelai had slept so well, it was so long ago that she couldn't recall the exact date.  
   
Even in her times with Max and Christopher there were still deadlines to love, her men having to have better things to do than wait out her sleep cycle rebelling against her. She would end up awake from the aromatic scents of breakfast and bacon, or in a situation where they had the usual awkward after-sex talk that would remind Lorelai again why she usually kept what happened between her legs confined to herself and that white massager that got her through many a lonely evening. Even when she slept with Paris, the sting of needing to find out if the Inn was up for auction yet kept her from snoozing without a damn.  
   
But there was none of that this afternoon. Her body imprinted with the fine thousand-thread-count sheets she lay in and the incredibly soft $3,500 bed, and her body telling her clock that there was no more rest she could possibly need, she fluttered her eyes open at this time, glad not for the harsh sound of an alarm clock for her to wake up to for once, but the quiet humming of air conditioning keeping her between the 83° day outside and complete comfort. Her bladder only had a light sting in it, as Lorelai had only sipped on fruit punch Paris offered in the hours since 1am when they left the pool.  
   
Stretching herself out, she found abruptly that again, she was alone in waking up. But this time she had expected that as her eyes landed on the clock to check the time and found another note to her next to it. Only this time, there was no impersonal calling on the front fold.  
   
Instead as she focused her eyes, the cursive read something else.  
   
 _my love  
_    
She felt herself tingle as she took the larger piece of paper, this time written upon Paris's personal stationery, and though she cursed she didn't have her reading glasses on, just brought the writing close to make it out.  
   
 _Lor,  
   
This time I cannot predict the time you'll finally wake up, and I don't want to. As I write this, the time is about 11:05am and I'm still trying to find the words I can express to describe last night. I'll have to share them with you personally, because I need that last time with you this afternoon.  
   
In the interim, I have cleaned up after ourselves in the pool room and media room, lest anyone finds out what depravity we have pulled throughout last night. Your clothes are folded, though the underwear definitely didn't make it thanks to the chlorine. Really feeling kind of idiotic for not telling you to bring swimwear when I invited you now :(.  
   
As it's so warm outside however I would not expect you to re-wear your top, so I swiped something deep in my mother's closet that I cherished once upon a time and would wear myself, but in her hands has never been worn. It's kind of ridiculous to buy something nice and never wear it, don't you think?_

_Further, trying to come up with underwear...well, seeing as I'm biting my lower lip and making out your beautiful form through the sheets as I write this, I'm not really concerned with that aspect. After all, we did come together on one of your laundry days. So feel free to disregard that portion of your outfit if you'd like.  
   
Anyway, it might be a bit hot, but today feels like a wonderful afternoon to be outside. I'll be in the back around the garden house, either reading or just taking in the view. It feels like one of those days where change has come and you just don't want to stay in your old personality any longer. I know in these last few weeks I feel like I've changed, thanks to you. Some of it has been a normal process of my maturation, but I feel like you've brought out that passionate side I've hidden from view for so long. What it is about you, I don't know. But after last night, I can no longer describe our attraction as merely that of me looking for comfort in a familiar role model like you, an older woman who has lived by experience and can guide me through it all. I'm writing this letter with tears in my eyes because this does feel so real, and although I'm still aware that this has to stay a secret, my heart feels for you in a way that...  
   
I'm looking at you right now. And I realize that at the beginning of this note I intended to keep it short. I have failed to do so. But I do not regret editing my words. I should probably end this before I get carried away. I will see you shortly and I do want you to know this before you even see me this morning.  
   
I do not regret anything that has happened between us._

_Yours,_

_P  
   
P.S.- Might be a little gutsy, but I did check your phone. Rory was worried, predictably, so I sent some clandestine texts with the excuse we came up last night involving sleep deprivation and a hotel stay. Which when it comes down to it, was true. She didn't suspect a thing and will be content if you get back to Stars Hollow by five. My apologies if I went too far, but the last thing you need worry about is how to excuse following your heart to your daughter.  
   
Additional P.S. - I did run to Cumberland Farms for blueberry muffins and coffee and hopefully that suffices for breakfast, which is in the kitchen on the island. I might be great in bed, but you need to teach me how to whip up a cup of joe that doesn't taste like Drano before I ever get to that step. Forgive me :)?  
   
_"Beyond forgiven." Lorelai's lip trembled as she traced the marks of the handwriting, some of the tall words tracked with streaks of wetness in tears that fell upon the crisp sheet of paper. She tried to keep her own tears from falling, her heart tugged by the simple romanticism behind the actions of her lover in the light of day. Not only had she been eloquent in her words, but she had done the most basic things to calm all of her fears and questions. There were some still to be answered for sure later on, but for now she was still in the afterglow of passionate lovemaking, much-needed sleep, and someone who at their barest, had known the skeleton components of her morning routine.  
   
In all of her years, the morning after had always been Lorelai's most dreaded time. She knew then whether the chemistry would work out, or they were headed towards disaster.

No need to fear the latter. Or even the further. Even two weeks before, that had been a fluke fueled by her excitement over the Dragonfly. There was nothing in this instance influencing them from the outside, applying pressure to them. Now it was just the two women standing on their own merits. She pressed the sheet to her body, dreading having to leave the comfort of the space-age mattress she had spent the best night of sleep in years upon.

But she had to depart eventually. She slowly rose, stretching her arms out, and then her legs. The usual morning soreness she felt when she got out of bed nowhere to be found, she tossed her hair to-and-fro, the atmosphere of the bedroom unlike that of her own. It was seemingly cluttered with academic items in some corners, but there were no odd posters or teen magazine clippings to be found. Only quotes that seemed to come from fortune cookies, the small remainder of clouds and a bright sun on one side of the wall to suggest the bedroom's theme in Paris's nursery years, a few family pictures here and there. The hum of the girl's Mac, the bright windows.  
   
What was most apparent as she walked around to regain her footing was the signs of Harvard which only remained in weathered outlines of pennants, H-shaped objects, the carving of the school seal passed down for years between generations of Gellars. They were all gone, the room bare of any suggestion the strong young woman had ever considered Cambridge. It was here it hit Lorelai, how tough a choice it was to let Harvard go.  
   
How Paris had gotten through that time without feeling any pull towards suicide, the woman knew there was more courage and fight in her lover than she ever had considered.

"Not a robot," she told herself. "She is completely mortal, but so beautiful." Finding her clothes folded below her purse, she then proceeded to the shower in the girl's private bathroom to cleanse herself of the remainders of last night, thankful that she had packed her purse with personal items in advance for an overnight.  
   
She spent the next 45 minutes trying to make herself look presentable all over again, fixing her unruly hair and finding all kinds of scars and bites that would thankfully be hidden by her shirt and pants. Her entire body felt as if it was fifteen all over again, the woman relaxed and ready to meet Paris all over again. She toweled herself off thoroughly and then began to dress, indeed taking Paris's permissive cue to go commando and pushing her jeans on, the zip on the pants reminding her that all was well. Then putting on the silky light blue camisole top with, she had to admit that Paris's fashion skills, although not anywhere near that of a fashion plate, were definitely that of making her comfortable. Looking at herself in the mirror she felt content with herself, pleased that Rory would not be suspicious she went to Hartford for anything but innocent means. Applying a last sheen of lip gloss, she smacked her lips together and took herself in.  
   
"Hello there, Lorelai Gilmore, certified lady killer." Giggling at her self-dorkiness, she felt so young and open, ready for more from the surprising young woman who had taken her by storm. After an application of antiperspirant, she took in the top once again, examining the skin bared by the thin article and the slight bit of belly peeking out from the abrupt hem ending just before the waist line. She felt comfortable in it and from the scent of the threads, knew that not only had Sharon Gellar never worn it, but she never even tried it on, as she actually had to take the price tag off before she put it on.  
   
A price tag so old, it was a bit aged, not even having a UPC code upon it.

"Yeah...this does make up for the skirt she kept," she told herself, enjoying how the surprisingly vintage top flattered her figure. A little bit of lacy crème flair on the chest and a deeper color for the straps, everything matched perfectly. But she still needed one last touch to see if it was incredibly perfect.  
   
Closing her eyes in front of the mirror, she visualized Paris coming into the bathroom and looking at the low-cut back of the top, which went below the bra line. Taking in all the freckles and moles upon her back, she thought of the blonde moving towards her slowly and sensually, her voice in her mind as she told the woman how beautiful she looked from behind. Her imagination felt Paris press against her from behind to turn her around as those slim and calloused hands took in the jeans painted on against her rear.  
   
She pushed her legs together, feeling an immediate rush of warmth when she touched herself against her stomach, a hand moving along the fabric of the top to her breasts. She heard that whispered voice beckoning her to touch herself and she followed it to round the tip of her index finger against her nipple. Hissing from the simple yet sensual touch, she wanted to go further...  
   
And then she opened her eyes once again to the room, jarred by a random thought. Her heart rate sped up fast and finding her surroundings again, she found her thighs pushed together. Breaking them apart she hadn't felt so turned on before by herself in her life.  
   
Then she looked at herself in the mirror. The tall hotelier took in the image of her breasts fully swelled and nipples erect. Instead of feeling embarrassed that she lost herself in her thoughts, she bit down on her tongue and grinned at the idea of being a sexual fantasy figure to the young student.  
   
"I still have it," she confidently stated, glad that once she got into the Jeep a few hours later she could hide how much the camisole didn't leave to the imagination with her jacket. For now though she slid her purse onto her shoulder, and her stomach anticipated the delicious breakfast awaiting her downstairs, which she would definitely not take her time eating.  


* * *

 ** Manor Backyard, 12:50pm  
**   
There was no way she could tell Luke that she wanted to cheat on him.  
   
Everyone in the town thought that the reason she went to Luke's was that she enjoyed eyefucking the diner owner every moment she could. That's why they shared that banter, that friendship and a few months earlier she had dreamed she had his children, which she told Rory about. On the surface it could definitely be taken as relationship building slowly.  
   
However, with Nicole, Lorelai knew when to back off. She knew she had no claim on Luke and would not stoop down to telling off Nicole. She had done all she could the last few years to offer a date, and if Luke couldn't take the hint, she just had to live with it.  
   
But as Lorelai walked down the balcony steps leading from the patio off the kitchen of the Manor holding a 24 oz. cup of hazelnut caramel coffee from a mini-mart, Lorelai couldn't deny that although coffee was the right way to her stomach, small acts of kindness were the way to her heart. Her body warmed as she sipped from the cup and looked for Paris in the broad yard behind the dark brownstone residence which dwarfed the neighborhood. On the second floor the estate seemed limitless, but on the lawn of it the broad lawns and deep gardens awed the woman. They were immaculately maintained, perfectly symmetrical with the main house as far as the flowers and trees planted. Her eyes took in a 180° of the terrain in front of her, wondering how in the world that a woman such as Sharon Gellar had time to maintain this spread.  
   
"This certainly puts Dwight's garden to shame," she said, recalling the garden she had to tend to a few months ago. She walked the stone path, seeing the small garden house ahead in a clearing, the complete opposite of the distant greenhouse. "That's where she has to be." She let her nose take in the fragrant atmosphere of the garden, feeling as if she was in the poppy field outside the Emerald City. Never in her teen years had she explored the fine gardens, but now she enjoyed taking in every flower, plant and tree down the small lane. She wandered the grounds for ten minutes, lost in her thoughts, remembering the last night, how Paris truly had explored her emotions with her and brought out the kinder side, compared to the personality she had of the woman scorned when she came to the Gilmore home to mourn the loss of her relationship.  
   
That night had been about balming the hurt through sex that made Paris forget, getting to know each other on that raw level where they needed to find that footing to define themselves. That second time had to establish where they wanted to go in the future. Lorelai knew last night had been a combination of the romantic and the kinky, so they both needed to find that happy medium.  
   
Finally coming upon the garden house 300 feet from the main mansion, she would have expected Paris to be dressed for a Saturday morning for sure in her own way, reading a complicated textbook while pondering some far off question. Lorelai knew that Paris was not the type to relax.  
   
However with the end of Chilton, also came the end of her own way of life. No longer did she have to live to satisfy somebody academically to earn a scholarship, or pack her summer weekends with hour after hour of stressing activities for the bare sake of her transcript. Paris was finally free to enjoy a day in June or July with a blank calendar page, her phone remaining on her nightstand, on silent and not to be used through the entire day as she basked in the quiet of being completely alone and free.  
   
Coming up to the small house's porch, Lorelai had been nervous, her hand holding the foam cup in a shaky position.  
   
But as she came to the turn revealing the full beauty of the guest house right in the middle of the floral harmony surrounding it, the sight that welcomed her back in the view of Paris Gellar for the first time in the light of day went beyond all words and comprehension.

At that moment the only callback to how she felt at that moment had been walking into the Inn and laying her eyes upon the sight of 1,000 yellow daisies. She had always held the moment dear as the height of her relationship with Max and how romantic he could be.  
   
Paris sat on the porch, listening to the last moments of the final story of the week's _This American Life_ on the radio next to her, looking calm, her eyes closed as she rested in the white wicker chair taking in the imagery of the program. It reminded her of Trix describing how she and Richard would listen to _Monitor_ on the weekends while he courted Emily, a few years before Lorelai came into the world. She sat all the way back in the chair in a position that would usually earn her a rebuke about manners from her mother, but she didn't much care when the woman was too busy in Manhattan to monitor her posture.  
   
Lorelai slowed down seeing Paris's eyes closed. A smile grew across her lips. _Gonna take her by surprise_ , she thought to herself. She stepped off to the side of the path to slip off her sneakers, knowing she could find them rather easily. Now barefoot, she inched towards the porch with slow steps, hoping Paris would judge her footsteps as just a squirrel running by. She didn't dare make a sound that was out of the ordinary, controlling her breathing, entering the porch off to the side on the grass instead of upon the path.  
   
The drone of Ira Glass listed the underwriters as her toes planted upon the painted white deck of the porch, hoping not for an errant squeak. She felt complete alien, hoping the surprise would not startle the girl. She slid both feet on, and was thankful to only come onto the porch with an imperceptible scuff.  
   
Paris was only a few feet from her now on the other side of the porch. The breeze picked up slightly, allowing Lorelai to see how Paris's hair blew in the wind. Loose and undone for once, the tendrils blew around her face and brushed her eyes and her nose.  
   
Lorelai's heart fluttered. Even from the day they met she found herself jealous of a mane which usually belonged to the bitchy head cheerleader. She moved ever closer, her ears hoping that Ira's spiel was not about to end with the Public Radio International sounder. She was quiet, setting her cup down on a table and then approaching the girl with due caution. The scent of her shampoo drew her closer, a light scent that was fragrant, but melded in with the flowers surrounding the house.  
   
She was inches away. Hovering over the blonde from behind, she took in the angular shoulder, bared but for the strap of her simple sundress, which she had not really taken in quite yet. She deliberately controlled her breathing, taking in air through her nose to keep from startling Paris. The tanned skin of the younger woman drew her in, the spots around it...  
   
...But she knew the focal point the girl had always had all eyes on was the dark brown mole that defined the left part of her neck. It was beckoning to her, always. When Paris was over at the house her eyes would invariably land upon the small spot. It made her human and approachable, and was one of the things she looked at all day when they were at the cashbox. It teased her and hinted at what was below the mark and the clothing the woman wore.

She pushed closer. The scent of shampoo, mixing with that of a light sheen of sweat which brought a slight aroma from the girl's skin. She gulped, hoping that she was doing the right thing.  
   
Then without a word, she applied the lightest of pressure against the skin surrounding the mole with her lips, then brought her right hand up to drape around Paris's right shoulder from behind.  
   
Lorelai expected Paris to be startled, even shocked.

Instead, she found an immediate and gaspy moan slide out from the throat of her lover as she circled the very tip of her tongue against the beauty mark. She slightly drew more pressure against the skin as Paris slacked back within the chair. The stiffness was sudden and unexpected.  
   
"Lorelaaaaiii..." Her breathing picked up tenor as she felt her entire body tighten from the presence of the woman who had shared her bed the evening before, and who she would have rather just explored all night and into the dawn of the day. Her hair was tucked behind her ear by Lorelai, a thumb brushing against her sensitive earlobe. She felt bohemian in the way she was in love, the stiffness and ceremony usually expected within the wooing process completely out of the playbook. Their raw emotions guided them and she felt no scandal about having in her arms the night before a woman who in any other circumstance would have never met her.  
   
Lorelai's other hand wrapped around her, fingers flitting against her left underarm. She felt all of her defenses melting away from the brunette's touch, allowing the new hotel owner to take in her body in a semi-aroused state. She had not applied her antiperspirant, feeling the need to be completely natural around the woman. Normally dry, the anticipation of more time with the woman soaked her body and she was outside for the bare reason of keeping cool beneath the shade. The fingers slid towards her front, and then just as soon as she came on, she kissed the girl on the cheek and began to pull away, leaving her wanting for more.  
   
"Good afternoon, beautiful," she said, the words now not hiding an irony, said with Lorelai's full passion. Paris turned around to kiss Lorelai upon the lips, doing a little suckling move to stir her senses.  
   
"Lorelai," she said, almost breathless. Brown eyes slitted, hinting at a deep well of desire. "You caught me by surprise. I didn't expect you from behind me."

"Well you should be aware of your surroundings at all times," Lorelai reminded her. "Didn't your mother tell you never to talk to strangers?"

Paris giggled, the irony of Lorelai having been a stranger to her delicious. "Mother says a lot of things I ignore quite comfortably." She turned in the chair to face the woman, a colorful blush across her cheeks. "I was waiting for you."

"You were now, were you?" Lorelai smiled, feeling pleased to have someone wait for her in the morning light. "I'm sorry I slept so late."

"Think nothing of it. I suppose you don't feel like you did yesterday, dragging your ass around on little sleep?"

"Actually I was going to ask if there was some magical manner in carrying that kind of mattress around Europe. Sooo not looking forward to sleeping on cots or those plastic pee-proof mattresses they place on bunks." She shuddered deeply. "I really enjoyed...what happened on that mattress."

"I did too." Paris smiled at Lorelai, baring her teeth and crossing her legs over, doing it slowly to disturb the material of her dress upward to tease the woman. "When I was dressing you were actually in your sleep...well, involved." She twitched her mouth and shook her head as Lorelai was taken aback. "I'm pleased to know now that like me, you do talk in your sleep, in the right circumstances."

"Wha--what did I dream?" Lorelai knew she had dreamt of Paris earlier, but thought that was just in her mind. She held her hand to her chest as she sat on the small stool next to the table. "Surely I wasn't projecting it."

"I'm afraid that you did. Really, Ms. Gilmore, do you have some kink about forcing milk upon me? Far be it for me to remind you that I'm lactose intolerant unless I take some kind of pill, but I never knew my little milk speech in regards to Rory's WPM would later result in a sexual fantasy where you coated the tip of my nose, my mouth, breasts and privates in whipped cream and towards the end, literally popped a cherry which happened to be positioned within my womanhood, and then upon my fruition, tied the stem of said cherry of your tongue after working me off to a long and very pleasurable orgasm."

Lorelai was taken very aback. "You're not looking for an apology, are you? I probably shouldn't have done that...I mean, had that dream in your bed. Even if, yes, I can tie a cherry stem with my tongue, your intellect was probably insulted."  
   
"My intellect had no concern with your cerebral stimulation. However, I'm really enjoying exploring my sexuality with you. I think you're definitely sexually intelligent and that shows in how you control me. That is...in a way I like." She reached over to turn off the radio and grab at her cool glass of lemonade sitting on the table next to her. Taking the straw within it between her lips, she puckered them out, knowing she had Lorelai's full attention as she took the long and drawn out sip from the glass. She took it out after drawing it out, refreshed from the tart liquid.  
   
Lorelai remembered her thoughts of only 23 hours before, how she theorized her attraction to Paris was about control.  
   
 _It still is about control_ , she thought to herself, her body stiffening as she took in the pucker of Paris's thin lips. _But it's more than that. She's so attractive in so many more ways when she's so relaxed. Both physically and in her mental state of mind. She hasn't done much more in my sight today than cross her legs and sip a drink, and it's making me feel hot. And the way she described that dream...oh my God._ She had never had someone so passionate in her life before, and it overwhelmed Lorelai that she was falling so hard and so fast for this young woman.  
   
Then Paris brought out her tongue to lick the remainder of lemonade from her lips. The brunette coldly trembled at the action, remembering how Paris had promised to partake of her beneath the water. The smallest things, the tiniest of entendres, they were driving the woman up a wall.  
   
Even the way she expressed refreshment was a turn-on.  
   
"Ahhh," she said softly. "God, I'm so glad that Nanny is in my life."

"She made that before she left?" Lorelai asked. Paris nodded.  
   
"I'm going to miss her when she leaves for Idaho. But she's always going to be there for me. Been there more than my mother, that's for sure." She sighed, shaking her head. "But eventually I have to face that world out there alone, ready or not."

"You know...you're not alone." Rising up, Lorelai took Paris's hand and pressed her fingers within the palm. "I'm going to be here yet for you."  
   
"That's very kind of you. But I mean in the sense that I'm back on the bottom with 12,000 others. Many others have my GPA, my accomplishments, my drive in that school. I could be unique in Chilton by doing my best. There, I have to be myself to be the best."  
   
"I know hon. But those kids don't have what you have," Lorelai intoned softly, her eyes intense with a desire to comfort her lover.  
   
"What's that?" Lorelai rose up slightly to take in the girl and smiled at her.  
   
"They don't have your heart. They see the world in shades of grey. You see it in full color, hon."

"Lorelai, I hardly think a divorce by my parents and getting rejected by my dream college is seeing the world in color. I'm not in Cabrini Green, dodging bullets just to buy myself a Hershey bar at the mini-mart across the street."

"Par..." Lorelai shook her head, frustrated at how the girl took apart her analogies. Still, she found it cute. "Fine, but I insist that you have a shielded heart. One you hide so well, that it takes so much to get to. You have a beautiful soul and I'm just glad that I'm here to discover it."

"Thank you." Paris wrapped her arms around her chest and rose up, sliding on her sandals. "I...I'm sorry I cut down your passionate speech. I just get defensive and I don't want you just to see me as a poor little rich girl. I need to keep that perspective that it could be a lot worse for me."

"I know." She smiled at the girl and kissed her to make up for the small little disagreement. "Sometimes I get so shmoopy and it bites me in the ass."

"Let's not let it affect us," Paris said, shaking her hair out. "Besides, we still have this small time together and I'm not going to ruin it because you're all romantic." She took Lorelai's hand and beamed. "Meanwhile, I think we shouldn't let this day stick to two stools and a porch. There's a big world out there to explore and I feel like today's a great day for a garden tour."

"Are you trying to pitch me on asking your gardener for their services? Because it just might work on me, oh magical girl." She winked and Paris laughed happily.  
   
"I can tell we're going to have some fun on this tour, Lor." Leading the way after Lorelai slid her shoes back on, she was glad for this extra time with the intriguing woman whose company she was beginning to savor every moment of keeping.  


* * *

 ** 2:35pm, Gellar Manor Greenhouse  
   
**When Paris was a young girl, she was often discouraged by her mother from going near the garden.  
   
Not because her mother was a persnickety tender of her plants. Perish the thought of Sharon Gellar ever finding herself digging her $500 manicured hands into the ground to plant any kind of seed.  
   
As with most of the Manor, the garden was her father's work, but mainly the domain of her Nanna Gellar, who had taken so many horticultural awards for the Hartford region in her lifetime she had pulled an Oprah and taken herself out of contention for them in 1990. She continued to tend to the garden with all of her zeal, working the ground with her personal gardeners through her retirement and into her 70's, only leaving the garden fully to her gardeners three years before, but only on the advice of her doctor who suggested she reduce her mobility due to a fragile hip. The Jewish woman had fought him tooth and nail, but eventually acceded, only with the promise from Harold Gellar that she continue to provide input, and that her estate would continue to provide for the care and tending of her precious garden long into her eternity, and possibly that of Paris's.  
   
The plot was colorful, beautiful, and tempting to Paris, always. For years, she had been banned by Sharon from going even near it.  
   
This was despite Nanna giving her complete permission to do what she wanted within it. "Damn it Shar, I plant so much stuff in there because I want my granddaughter to enjoy it," she told the woman multiple times. "Flowers are good for her health. You keep her inside like John Travolta in a bubble and the poor lil' lady's gonna suffer. Oy vey, why did my son have to marry you of all people--"

Sharon had somehow kept her away from frolicking in the flowers. Sure, she studied in the garden, but if there was one thing Paris was thankful for, that was her romance with Jamie spanned the months when the garden was fallow.

Freed of him, she could describe every flower and plant in detail instead with Lorelai. She thought it would be a basic walking trip, explaining the flowers and being able to watch the woman she was falling in love with in a situation that further stripped away the stress that was disappearing from her being.  
   
Never in all of her years looking at the garden from her bedroom window would she have thought that a simple garden tour would stir all of her five senses in an overwhelming way.  
   
They had taken all the various paths through the lawns and gardens, looking at all the flowers, Lorelai in awe at the rows of peonys, roses, daisies and sunflowers dotting the garden. In the vegetable patch she took in Paris's description of how all alone based on the small bit of earth they stood on, she distrusted the produce industry and would only eat organic produce because of how fresh the snap of a celery was from her earth rather than that of the produce section of A&P. Gardenias, poppies, black eyed susans and begonias were beautifully flowering, and Lorelai's eyes were overwhelmed by the palate of colors presented in front of her.  
   
Not to say that the tour was just a basic tour by any means. The women were able to steal many kisses, and there were moments where no words needed to be shared as they took each other in, comparing their casual dress of last night with their current dress.  
   
Lorelai was completely surprised with how at ease Paris could be looking very casual. She would have never pictured Paris in a simple pale yellow sundress, but there she was in front of her, the garment flowing just a smidge below her knees and the cut of the dress low and hugging the breasts softly, showing off her deep cleavage in such a flattering manner. Her hair completely free and only wearing the cheapest of thong sandals to just keep her feet from the ground, she couldn't help but enjoy how the lovely young student was proving to her that her want to relax wasn't just a statement to please the woman, but the new way she lived her life.  
   
What really caught her attention was exactly how pale the dress was, not only in color, but in the material. Out of the sun, the garment seemed thick. But when Paris was walking towards the sun, Lorelai bit her fingernails as she followed Paris behind her describing the genus of a flower in incredibly complex terms.

There was no hiding Paris's bountiful curves, even through the dress. The outline of her hips, the swell of her stomach, even the shape of her thighs, it was visible through the material of the dress. It wasn't something she would tell Paris to ruin the atmosphere, especially as she found herself receiving a lovely eyeful of the blonde's derriere within the material. Her body tightened as she took in the girl's figure, all of the crests and valleys that defined the beauty of the girl she was growing to cherish as more than her daughter's intense friend. The tall innkeeper was still in disbelief weeks later that a boy like Jamie could ever let Paris go, as she wished she could hold onto her.  
   
Paris knew the dress was bringing her attention and felt warm from those blue eyes regarding her as sexual. She blushed when she turned around and would often have to dart her attention down at the woman for an unforeseen circumstance in her choice of top, telling Lorelai to adjust the straps of her top back upward. The temptation to have her in the garden was heavy, her hands shaky while her body willed her to fall into the chasm of lust anew.  
   
But she only kissed Lorelai, pulling up her top when she needed to. After going through all of the gardens they were finally at the other side of the garden, at the greenhouse. Both of them went into the deep room, a topiary of flowers and plants surrounding them on all sides with the sun seeming to stream in from all directions. Soon they toured the large room, Lorelai in awe at the rare flowers populating the space, Paris warm from the woman's hand upon her shoulder.  
   
They both felt uncomfortable and wanting of each other. Paris felt the coolness of the air prickle her skin, while Lorelai's center wept within the confines of her jeans, the denim rubbing harshly against her hardened clit. Soon in the most fragrant part of the room, the two women sat on a soft wide bench together, the both of them lost in each other as Lorelai complimented the garden.  
   
"It really is a beautiful one. I'm glad that your mother hasn't been able to take it out."

"And hopefully she never will. I couldn't picture this lawn with just faceless fountains and statues like she'd want." Settling on the bench, she stretched out her toes which were out of the sandals. "I always come out here to meditate and find some peace."

"I can see why," Lorelai complimented as she slid next to Paris. "I just wonder how you can come off as an angry young girl with everyone else, but around me you're so quiet, reserved and soft."

"Because you just see me," Paris admitted, blushing. "You managed to get past my whole façade and make your way into my heart. I feel so open, so free...also so expressive." She was about to say a bit more when she felt the brushing of an object against her arms softly. Bringing her gaze down, she was ready to see what Lorelai was doing, but the woman made a smart move. When she saw her hand, there was nothing in it.

At least until she looked up at the woman, where she was startled as she found something slid in the space above her ear and her scalp on the left side. At first she thought it was just a hand, until Lorelai pulled her hand away. Stunned, she brushed her fingers against the object.  
   
The texture and the shape were immediately familiar. Her heart ached as Lorelai smiled at her.  
   
"You're also so pure and loyal," Lorelai said to finish Paris's thoughts. "I'm beginning to put my full trust in you, Paris. I may seem like I'm such a naughty little girl in bed, but my true feelings, within my heart..." Her lip trembled. "In this small amount of time, I grew to know you as not only another girl in my daughter's life, but as a confidant who helped me through two critical weeks where I needed a pick-me-up of confidence." She moved closer to caress Paris's other side, hands running through her long flowing tresses while admiring how her decoration had brought out the sensual side of Paris.  
   
"A daisy..." Paris felt overwhelmed by the simple gift picked from the garden. "Not a yellow daisy, I hope."

"A little yellow near the pistil, but otherwise, pale and soft." She smiled at the girl, drawing her in for another slow and lingering kiss upon the bench. Her hands twisted at Paris's hair as she brought her in as close as she could, to feel the heat of her cheeks and see how beautiful the young woman was up close, all of the little freckles sprinkled on her nose like cinnamon. Pulling away unwillingly, Paris felt her cheeks warm from being in the presence of the beautiful woman as she again brushed the petals of the daisy, her brown eyes wide open and expressive. The touch of the woman stung her arms into goosebumps.  
   
"It's beautiful," she told Lorelai, her face taking on a shade that betrayed any shyness she was trying to show for her lover. "I don't understand how you snuck it by me, though. I would have seen you if you picked a daisy."

"I slid it by and put it right down my top," she admitted with a smirk. "Better a daisy than a rose being held against my stomach," as she noted the thorns which would have literally been in her side.

"I'm not a rose person anyways. It's a flower that's been well-trodden and isn't that special."

"Even if it has a parade and incredibly boring football game devoted to it?"

"If you're smart you'll stop there right now before I trot out an argument about college football playoffs and bowl games bound to put you to sleep, along with how they decide a champion is complete bullshit."

"Sleep? I don't know that I could get any more sleep," Lorelai said, laughing slightly. "And somehow I could listen to your arguments for hours if it meant hearing your voice." She placed her hand on the girl's left leg, taking in the thin material of the dress. "You deserve to be spoiled, hon, and I'm tired of others passing you by for the sole reasoning that you're so intense. That's what makes you who you are."

She brushed a loose strand of hair from in front of her face as she felt her heart guiding her fully. She felt her lip tremble, taking in the girl in such a beautiful setting. Not at all within the artificial setting of a room, but in a building surrounded by floral beauty, with her lover not at all under any pressure. Her nails took in the rough texture of the hollow of her knee as she felt herself all over again fall for Paris.  
   
Eighteen years no longer defined what they were, rather it was how they related to each other and found an unexpected common ground. Paris looked at her lover and felt her heart swell from all of the simple gestures of Lorelai.

"I really enjoy this," she said simply, settling on the bench. "This is comfortable."

"It is." They were turning to face eye to eye. "I never thought the quiet moments were so important."

"Me either. I always was taught that grand gestures were the way to the heart. But with you, just having an ear is all I need." She kicked her legs up and down, serene towards the hotelier as she felt the breeze of her dress circulate beneath her body. "It's so odd; I feel like I'm a flower girl right now."

"You mean a flower child?" Lorelai corrected her. "Wanting to go to San Francisco? Because you have the flower in your hair."

"The sun is blessing us this afternoon. I couldn't have picked a better day for us to be together."

"I know." Lorelai knew but didn't want to make it real. "I wish the world could pause for our own needs. To just share all this time."

"We treasure every moment we have," Paris intoned. "All these years later I feel like schooling rushed by. I have to begin to relax."

"You feel relaxed." Lorelai's cheeks warmed with admiration. "I hope in your letters I get to hear how you had a lazy day and never changed out of your nightgown."

"Not that I would wear a nightgown. My younger days have ended; I want to get up and throw on a pair of Jockeys and a tank top." Paris took a deep breath. "I've been hiding myself from the world for so long and it's you who is helping me find my way, Lor. I don't know what I'd be doing had you never cornered me in front of that board and acted on those illicit desires you have of me."

"I don't think I'd have an inn now, that's for damned sure." Lorelai's hand slowly trailed up from Paris's knee. "That image of you in your underwear sounds delicious, by the way. Those little panties that go all the way up the waistband, your beautifully tanned body...those deep curves within your shirt." She closed her eyes. "That's gonna be a bunk-warmer for sure."

"I picture you coming back from Europe all toned and tanned. A firm stomach and a body that's taken so many mountains. You're emotionally strong, but your physical strength when you get home...I can't wait to work your body off." The both of them were now eye to eye, Paris's own hand moving towards Lorelai's center slowly. "Is it wrong to think of you like that?"

Smiling, Lorelai inched her hand further, breaching the hem of the voluminous dress. "I don't know. Would it be wrong to picture you back from Idaho with a true farmer's tan?"

"Playing with fire," Paris warned. "Don't get me started on how I'm going to loathe the distance."

"Distance makes the heart grow fonder."

Paris twisted the proverb. "Distance also makes lovers ache horribly."

"Not if those lovers leave each other with full and deep satisfaction." Higher up. "Incredible satisfaction."

"How much?"

"The kind which makes you spill over the moment you recall those memories." Now Lorelai touched her thigh against that of the younger woman. "Those fantasies that keep you sane. The ones I will hold all summer within the deepest portion of my heart."

 Paris furthered the imagery. Finding an isolated place to camp beneath the canopy of stars, laying out your sleeping bag and disrobing beneath your daughter's nose as you imagine you're not the only one within the bag?" Her teeth circled the top of her lip. "Just touching yourself and mouthing my name." Thin fingers caressed the inseam of Lorelai's jeans.  
   
"Oh, God."  
   
"I can just see you under the stars...those beautiful eyes reflecting the brightness of a quasar as you think of me, how we'd share space and our body heat together. And after a long day together, you'd be so turned on from my scent that you'd be begging Rory to explore by herself so we could partake in each other." The pads of her fingers wandered in swirls across the seam.  
   
"You do realize what my control is like around you," Lorelai questioned. "Paris...I can see it so clearly."

"Wanting of me, so badly. To taste my skin, to feel the heft of my breasts against yours." She felt the dress pushed up further. "Undressing me so sensually...I love that."

"Love seeing you like this," Lorelai said. "Beautiful girl, beautiful eyes, a mind that can just create so many visions of lust."  
   
"Touch my leg," Paris dared. "I don't want you to suffice with the fabric of my skirt."

Lorelai complied, moving her hand down beneath the hem of the dress, dragging the material towards the petite woman's lap. Paris's breath deepened. "Oh, lord. I think about your hands...touching me." Her own hand moved in closer towards her lover's heat.

"All the time?"  
   
"Yessss...."

Her finger curved languidly along the bare skin of the smooth leg, unpocked by razor marks. "Does it get you wet, Paris? Knowing that I slept like a baby because you made me cum so hard I lost my bearings? Those magical hands, that mysterious mouth..." Moving closer, Paris and Lorelai shared such deep eye contact it was almost as if they were in a solitary trance. "That tongue that can do things to me that no man could ever dare? Finely trained by forensics, debates, anger and passion, you know how to use every attribute you have to your ultimate advantage."

"The mere sway of your hips, the sight of your legs in a skirt...rattling off about pop culture at 225 words per minutes."  
   
"You, knowing everything...ever. As long as it doesn't deal with anything frivolous."

The dress was inched higher as Paris found herself nearing the building wetness of her partner within a circle within the crotch of her jeans.  
   
"Never expected anyone to be so wet for me," Paris responded, truthfully as she felt the building dampness. "I see you did indeed take my advice."

"It's a bonus laundry day."

"I really enjoy laundry day," Paris intoned, the dress losing more and more material up her leg. "Your laundry days must be a chore to get through."

"Actually it's the most pleasurable day you can find. Finding your panty drawer completely empty, or at least filled with only the stuff you wear when you're desperate, you feel that freedom to go without."

"I wouldn't know. The laundry service we have usually keeps me well in stock with panties." She was a bit nervous, Lorelai spidering her fingers up her thigh. "I kind of threw a clean pair down the chute Wednesday. Didn't want Mother to think her innocent daughter went to graduation bare beneath her dress."

"Admit it...you saw me and you rubbed your legs together for me, baby." She moved closer as Paris outlined her slit through her jeans. "I'm not going to tell a soul that you had dark thoughts about me in your cap and gown."

"I saw you and Rory go into the school. I followed you, from behind, far away." Small fingers moved towards the small brass pull of the zipper. "Peeked out from the side hall and saw you carving your initials into the baseboards." She smiled deviously. "You're bad for me, Lorelai. Such a rebel, defacing school property. Does it get you off that I didn't tell anybody? That instead I was staring at your ass as I saw you dig that scrawl into the hardwood?"

"Shit, I'm sorry..."

"Don't be sorry at all." She tittered softly. "Just know that my last ten minutes in Chilton as a teenager were spent within the confines of an open broom closet, wishing we had run up to that classroom we fucked in and you could make me spill over my gown."

"So vandalism gets you hot? Is that what you're saying?" Fingernails moved towards Paris's inner thighs. Bracing the bench with her free hand, Paris felt overwhelmed by what they were telling each other. "No wonder you were into Tristan DuGrey."

"That's different. He was just an ass. You just...oh Goddd!" A sensitive spot was hit. "Jamie was a good boy. Too good. Like Dennis the Menace. You're definitely more of a Rizzo...you don't give a damn. It's your way...or no way at all. And I get off on your darkness...your dominance of me...how you hit me right in that...place...shit...knowing I don't...stand...for...borrrinnggg...ugggh...ohhhh!!" She closed her eyes suddenly, pushing Lorelai's hand between her. The woman was nowhere near her center, yet the very emotional idea of what she suggested was enough.  
   
"Oh damn...Gaaaawwwd...fuck!!"  
   
She slumped over, Lorelai quickly bracing her in a hug as she felt the convulsions hit her hard. Deep panting, her body let go slightly, a small orgasm forced from her from the barest of touches. Lorelai's jeans weren't even unzipped and there was that soulful connection between them, hitting Paris as her intense sexual urges built up.  
   
Lorelai was hot and turned on. She couldn't believe that her mere words and a small touch had brought Paris off. _God, Max or Chris **never** did that to me_, she thought as Paris buried her head into her shoulder, pushing aside the strap of her top so that she had full contact with the woman. Slowly removing her hand, Lorelai wrapped around the girl as she felt the last of the light contractions fade away, breathing heavy and her body very warm to the touch.

She could have never imagined that Paris would be so intense and sexual. She felt Paris sob against her softly, feeling a bit embarrassed about her situation in Lorelai's eyes. Something she had to fix right off.  
   
"You okay?" She was kind and caring. "God, oh God. Par, I would have never thought you would ever be that...that...spontaneous. I didn't even expect it. Oh lord, that was just so...so raw."

"I'm...I'm sorry." Paris attempted an apology, but was quickly silenced with a kiss upon her cheek. "I...I have in the past had some thoughts and my mind, it's...abnormally tuned, I think." She paused for a few breaths, to compose herself again. "To tell you the truth, I have talked to my therapist and my gyno about it. They think it has something to do with a few anti-depressants I took during the divorce darkness, but I had it before then. I just manage to keep it in control in public, but...I get a thought in my mind outside the setting of school and places like that and suddenly...just a bare touch like that can set me off."

"It's beautiful," Lorelai admitted, pecking the girl on the lips and smiling. "Oh my gosh, I would have never thought in any way. So you can do it even without direct stimulation."

"I have. Even last week I was driving home from the rehearsal, nothing but a stray thought of you. Just suddenly it triggered and I had to pull off to the side of the Cross to let it pass through me."

"It's your drive. You get so intense and suddenly you're having a stray thought and your body is telling you to relax?"

"I don't know exactly what it is. I was able to keep it under very good control with Jamie. But with you, my body feels like keeping it in would overwhelm me. I know it will pass, but I'm not kidding. I have had quite a few of those the last few weeks. I..." A blush colored her cheeks. "There was even one that I was at the dinner table with Mother, and one thought of your putting your toes against me beneath the table, it was too much. I had to bite down hard on my brisket while I let it pass."

"Is it wrong that I'm so turned on by this?" Lorelai wondered.  
   
"Not really. I'd be embarrassed with anyone else. Somehow you're just wrapped up in this full heightened sexuality where I can't stop picturing the two of us in this passion we have." She felt ready to settle down again, slipping off her sandals, still chagrined she had triggered a bit fast. "I find it a bit abnormal, but I've been so reserved and closed in for so long. Maybe this is my id's way of telling me to open myself up to new things?"

"Your id speaks well." She took in the post-orgasmic state of her lover, still trying to figure out how the barest of touches sent her over the edge. "Do you know how gorgeous you look when you come?"

"You don't mean that."

"Your bottom lip puckers out, your breasts just tighten up within and you just take on this aura of calm that I swear should be painted. And your face is just so sexual and raw, like you know you're ruined and you don't care who knows it."  
   
"It's an orgasm. It shouldn't be hidden," Paris responded. "My body apparently is catching up with my soul. What I'm feeling." She stretched out on the bench, content that her lover thought her ordinary in at least that one sense. "And I'm not ashamed of you. Far from it, Wonder Woman." She felt warm, emboldened. Her heart swelled as Lorelai and her continued to chat, both of them finding that they were more kindred than they ever would have thought, just going on about nothing and everything. They walked around the greenhouse, unconcerned about the fading time, knowing they would find a way to stretch it out. Lorelai took in all the beautiful flowers while brushing at Paris's daisy occasionally, holding her hand, doing all she could to show that she didn't want this to end.  
   
A half-hour later, they were in a corner of the greenhouse in an outdoor sofa with soft cushions, which was incredibly comfortable, looking out in the mid-afternoon sunlight towards the outside gardens. Lorelai had a deep red carnation resting in her hand, a surprising gift offered by the blonde to show how she felt for her. Lorelai thanked her for the gesture and placed it in her hair, letting Paris enjoy the feeling herself of presenting a simple gift to her lover. They discussed the inn further, what Lorelai planned for it, while Paris discussed more of her plans for Yale and how she felt pleased she had firmed up a single dorm for herself.  
   
"How did you pull that off?" Lorelai asked. "Richard begged Harvard to let Rory live alone but they stuck her in a quad."

"I just stated my history of being acidic to roommates and feeling like I'd lose sight of my goal as my stoner roommate had endless sex with her washout video store clerk boyfriend. I may be a last minute accepter, but I know I'm not pledging. I don't like having a roommate. I just want to enjoy my music at night while I study and plug in day in and day out. If I want to socialize I'll do it in the dining hall or go to a club on campus. But I live better alone."

"You sure you won't feel isolated?"

"I'm sure. I've been used to going at it alone for the last two years, what with my mother's non-existent love for me. I don't mind being with myself at all."

"Dirty!" Lorelai laughed as Paris rolled her eyes.  
   
"Somehow I expected that." She shook her head and just went with the humor of the optimistic woman. "I'm surprised that I didn't have to give the usual donation to score the single. I think someone scandaled out of their acceptance and I took their place. Works for me, certainly."

"So I guess this means...I might be able to have a sleepover with you a few times a month?" Lorelai was hopeful for Paris to read her signs. "Because I really love slumber parties."

"Oh, I wouldn't mind if you came over. But they're wouldn't be much sleeping." The blonde winked uncharacteristically.  
   
"No sleeping? But what would we do then, Paris? I mean I'm just a responsible adult and you're a responsible teenager. Whatever could we ever do to pass the time? Board games? Staring contests? Messing with the spirits of the night with an Ouija board?"

"I'm sure we could come up with something," Paris said, relaxing against the long weatherproof couch and laying down. "After all I do need study breaks. They are highly suggested to prevent burning out."

"And I certainly cannot spend all day at the Dragonfly; I would go insane."

"So what would we do, Lor?" She took Lorelai by the waist to bring her above her. "I don't see you helping me out with incredibly complicated case studies unless they involved junk food. Nor could I see you enjoying the nuances never caught within a symphony."

"I don't know, Paris. I think we're at an impasse here." Her hands slid beneath her back as she tried to find the buttons and tie holding the dress to her lover's generous curves. "We will never figure out what we could possibly do in a dorm room, all alone, with a lock on the door preventing a nosy RA from busting in on us." She began to straddle herself over Paris, careful to position herself on the slim piece of furniture so she wouldn't fall off.

"I think you are right." She smiled, feeling an incredible sense of want and desire. But she also felt a need to take over the situation, mainly because of one factor. "Lorelai?"

"Mm-hmm?"

"I'm can see your breasts."

"You can see my breasts?" Lorelai seductively cast aside the ever falling strap of her camisole and tossed her hair back a bit. "Maybe you shouldn't have picked out such a slinky and alluring top for me. Once which you knew might trigger your orgasmic reflex all over again."

"Maybe you should stop being such a hot lady," Paris quipped. "Or having a body that I just want to completely pepper over with my lips."

"You'd love to do that, would you, Par? Just have me naked all the time, no clothes?"

"Oh, certain clothes." She smiled as she grasped at the belt loops of the jeans. "Alluring jeans like this, tight yet sinful short skirts, those cute and obscene t-shirts you wear."

"Excuse me! That MILF t-shirt was not obscene."

"I agree. But it did obscene things to your breasts. How you ever got away with wearing it when you chaperoned us to a Red Sox game, I will never figure out." She turned the woman around fully, now being the one on top. "I'm surprised you didn't get dragged into Charleston's office for wearing it."

"Are you kidding? Paris, hon? Do you remember he thought that the scrunchie denoted something sexual and impure for **ten** years? It's going to take him awhile to figure out what that term means."

"One I don't like using myself, but you are one," Paris admitted. "How do you feel right now?" She slid her arms up Lorelai's sides, beneath the camisole. "And I'm afraid I don't like to do whatever it does. I actually love doing it. It's a pleasure, almost a daily need to do so."

"We could come up with a new one, just between us. Fine Innkeeper I Love to Ravage Until She Can't Take Anymore."

"FILRUSCTA? It does roll off the tongue quite well. But..." Brushing her fingers beneath the underside of Lorelai's breasts, she felt desire heat within her eyes. "Let's replace 'ravage' with 'bang'."

A deep shudder from the older woman. Hearing Paris say the word without much ceremony and so much passion struck her deeply. "You don't bullshit at all, I'll give you that. FILBUSCTA sounds a little more...perfect."

"It does." She placed her leg against the core of her lover. "And I always get what I want."

"Always?"  
   
"Always." A quick little kiss, and a smile. "You never will turn me down." Brushing a hand against the carnation in Lorelai's hair, she felt unlike she ever had before. "Could you have ever imagined that 'unbutton your top' would have lead to...this?"

"I used to tremble from your voice. Now I tremble from what you do to me." Whispered, Lorelai took in the girl in front of her, displaying dark brown eyes and the freckles on her nose looking so adorably cute. Her eyes fell to Paris's cleavage, on full display and she couldn't deny it any longer.  
   
 _This is more than just experimentation now. I feel it._ About to close in on each other the women prepared for the last time they'd make love before August.  
   
That was, they were about to. Then they were interrupted as Paris remembered what the time was.  
   
 _It's 3:00pm. That click, I know it. What is it...oh, shit.  
_    
There was one last moment of pause as Paris was prepared to take evasive action. But the click told her she was already far from too late. There was no time for a warning at all.  
   
Before Lorelai could realize what was about to occur...  
   
 _FWOOSH  
   
_"Lorelai--" There was an attempt at a warning, but it came moments too late. Before Paris could move a muscle, the greenhouse's sprinkler system activated.  
   
 _DAMN IT! I just cannot ever win!_ Paris cursed her luck anew as the misty showering of the sprinklers activated above her and sprayed the entire greenhouse. She let out an annoyed grunt, feeling her sexual urges immediately plunge as the water soaked her body.  
   
"You...you didn't know about the sprinklers, did you?" Lorelai wondered, noticing the annoyed look coloring her lover's face. "Or you did and I made you forget?"  
   
"I knew," Paris said. "I really did know. But I guess my inner vixen decided to give me a temporary memory loss so I could...I could..."

She had expected the mood to immediately plunge. As water sprayed upon her, her expectation was that the atmosphere was completely ruined.  
   
Lorelai's stare was suggesting otherwise. Her lips pursed out and her eyes wide open, she just looked up, and then down, at the water raining down upon the blonde. Her hair was now wet, the pure water filtered through so the greenhouse's plants need not have one dose of chlorine or fluoride giving the small woman a sheen that was intense.  
   
Her breath quickened as she felt the temperature of the water.  
   
 _It's cold. Very, very cold. When there is cold water, there's...  
   
_"Oh fuck." The whispered words reminded Lorelai why she never swam in the cold waters of the ponds of the Hollow, ever. The water in those bodies of water never went over 75°, and remembering the teasing a certain Digger Stiles gave her in her high school years...  
   
"Lorelai, you OK?"

If Lorelai had an answer, she didn't know. All she knew was the water was cold, they were both in an intimate clench, and there was one more thing they now both shared beyond their attraction. A couple minutes after the sprinklers activated their watering cycle, Lorelai was chilly with Paris, but at the same time, sort of embarrassed.  
   
"Oh my God." She felt intenseness brought within her, residing in dormancy for so long. A turn-on that had been asserted as a turn-off to everyone else she ever knew, but suddenly was out front in center with her new lover.  
   
As they both dampened in the spray, they felt themselves move closer and closer, their eyes intense. Their clothes quickly soaked through and nothing could be hidden any longer. The heat in their gazes, the pull they felt towards each other.  
   
The mood was far from dead. Where it had been a bit muted from all those hours before, there was now a hard hot look they shared that was apparent through the dripping of droplets of water onto the plants and the concrete floor.  
   
What the dress did for Paris before was a distant memory. With the water soaking it through, there was nothing to do but for Lorelai to admire what lay beneath the sundress.  
   
Taking her hand hard, the brunette, with jeans quickly soaking through and camisole all but done for, decided to take action.  
   
"How long are these on?" Lorelai asked.  
   
"F-f-f-fifteen minutes." Paris felt cold from the spray. "W-w-w-we could go back to the garden hou--" Her words were cut off as Lorelai rose to get up, knowing there was no time to waste at all. Pulled up, she couldn't help but feel a smidge of desire through her veins as the innkeeper decided to take what usually would be a mortifying situation and make more than the best of it.  
   
"Enough time." Strong arms gripped at her wrists, she found herself pushed towards the corner of a greenhouse, where a few orchids and azaleas were growing. Feeling aggressive, Lorelai pushed the trays aside as far as she could. A couple dropped to the ground but she was unconcerned with what her actions were doing; by the time she got back in August those orchids would be grown anew. Dirt splashed from the plant trays onto both of them as it tumbled. Paris found herself on a sudden seat as Lorelai came near her.  
   
The woman quickly stripped herself of the damp top in a seductive manner, her eyes twinkling with mischief as Paris felt a sudden rush of nervousness course through her. Suddenly feeling in a literal corner, she knew that Lorelai wasn't going to go easy on her.  
   
Tossing the shirt to the side, Lorelai knew where Paris's eyes were immediately.  
   
"Like getting a view of the umlats?" She pushed her breasts together seductively as the shower of the sprinklers coated her body with water which seemed to sparkle upon her skin. "I know you're feeling so hot right now, but embarrassed. But don't be mortified you forgot a silly little thing like sprinkler timing." Her hand trailed down her stomach as she stepped closer and closer to the blonde, who was literally speechless.  
   
Their wavelength seemed to connect as Lorelai moved closer to her prey. Paris felt embarrassed about her features standing out fully, her face damp, hair unruly, and her posture very unladylike. There was also the little matter of her legs being completely open and the skirt of the dress hitching up to mid-thigh, giving Lorelai move of a view of her legs than the dress ever intended.  
   
"You always seem to act on the scout pledge of 'be prepared'," she intoned, her eyes boring into the blonde as she began to take advantage of Paris's suggestive pose. "But you should know the best love is always made in places where you don't expect it, and in different ways." Paris found her vision focused not on her surroundings, but fully on Lorelai. Specifically droplets of water sliding seductively from the ridge of her belly button and lower against the waist of her pants. "It shouldn't be scheduled. It doesn't have to be in a bed. And it sure as fuck doesn't have to be anywhere outside of finals. Because if you would have called me during that time, I would have certainly responded. My phone was ready, I was ready, and you definitely need to get out of this rut Jamie and Mommy Gellar put you in that sex is between two people on a comfortable surface."

Paris felt herself pushed up against the glass of the greenhouse, her back pushed against it. Lorelai stretched out against her, her mouth moving very close as she found the girl's breathing quicken. "We're not going back to the garden house. We're not going back to the big house. You're an intelligent young woman with a healthy sex drive who would probably love it if the last time she saw the woman giving her so much pleasure fucked her brains out in the corner of a greenhouse. Imagine taking that memory to your grave...here lies Paris Gellar. Lorelai screwed her next to the geraniums, both of them with flowers in their hair."

"Lor..." Her voice tightened to the limits, she felt the heat radiating from Lorelai's body. The temptation to end the situation was very little, a thin tether. Lorelai's hand brushed her face, taking a few stray hairs out of the way.  
   
"Give in to me," she intoned tightly, pressing herself close against the smaller girl. "Stop letting routine define you. There's a passion within you screaming to get out. Although I'm heartened by your chivalry with me I know you want to do things. Very naughty things." She smiled as her hand hitched the dress up Paris's right leg. "I bet if this were anyone else you would have fled long ago. Or they would have been cursing at you for being so stupid to walk into a greenhouse with sprinklers on."

"You really think that I planned this?" Paris's voice was somewhat tight, afraid that Lorelai had thought it too much of a coincidence.  
   
"I know you didn't. And I don't care." She took in Paris dampening further, the dress clinging against her tightly as her other hand circled across the front of the dress. Her fingertips explored the light fabric in awe of the curves she had become very familiar with in the last four weeks. The dress had hid all when it was dry, but when wet it turned into a slinky and seductive second skin upon the blushing young woman. "You treat me so well, and I wish to return the favor to you." Her mouth curled mischievously into a grin as her nails curled around the tip of a nipple, fully erect and transparent through the dress.  
   
"Oh God!" Her even voice was strained and Paris didn't want to lose control. "Ms. Gilmorrre..." Drawing out the proper name, she didn't know how Lorelai would react.

"Y'know, I said something about you calling me that being so improper and annoying to me." The older woman closed her eyes as she moved to press her lips upon her lover. "I was wrong. When you call me that you make me sound like I'm corrupting you." She kissed the girl, drawing a breath softly against puffy lips. "Wanting to abandon your former self. The one that was reserved and held everything close, but was prone to anger." Another kiss. "Do I make you feel like a bad girl, Par?"

"Y-y-yess..." Paris shivered from both the cold water and the emotions of the kiss. "I'm s-s-s-ooo wet right now."

"From how I look at you?" The blonde nodded as Lorelai pushed aside the dress to breach her modesty. "How I think of you?" She moved in closer, peeling the damp dress from soft, damp skin along her inner thighs. "Reach back for me."

Paris shuddered from the intense gaze coloring Lorelai's deep blue eyes. She felt as if she was nude already, the woman undressing her through the transparent fabric. Everything was there for her to scrutinize, from her breasts down to her stomach.  
   
But one point wasn't obvious until she felt a hand brush upon it as she unzipped the dress.  
   
"Damn it! Lor...lor...oh shit..." Her hushed voice was strained as the carnation-coiffed older woman discovered something new.  
   
"Aren't we glad your mother isn't here?" A teasing finger broke a bit through bare folds, Paris's outer lips unencumbered by anything at all. She dipped a bit further, noticing a slight difference from the evening before. "I take it your enjoying this concept of finding underwear an unneeded layer in certain situations."

"I...am..." She gripped hard against the end of the shelving, Lorelai manipulating her digits to brush on the outer portion of her intimacy. "Fuck!"

"And you came out here a little more shorn."

"Just...a little line...for hygienic...purposes." She pushed herself against Lorelai's two offered fingers as she struggled to unzip the dress the rest of the way down. "There was a point to it..uugggh."

"To tease me?"

"No...on the construction site...legs rubbing each day...need a...clean...carpet...shit." Lorelai pulled against Paris, pressing her leg hard against the blonde. "Fuck, I wanna cum again!"

"Can't wait?"

"No...oh God, no...no..." Her eyes rolled back as she felt delirious while the water pounded against her body. Any chance for leverage ended with her hands slipping from the shelf edge and Lorelai having to hold her at the waist. The top of the dress was peeled off with haste as Lorelai pushed her leg in against her wetness, peppering the bared skin in front of her with kisses.  
   
Tasting of the dampened skin, Lorelai couldn't think of any better way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Her other hand caressed Paris through her hair, while she wrapped her legs around Paris to provide her support while she rubbed against Lorelai's jeaned thigh.  
   
Soon that wasn't enough. "OFF!" She groaned out, desperate and needy. With the dress undone and quickly falling from her form, she grabbed at Lorelai's fly and undid the button and zipper, pushing the wet denim down halfway her legs. Immediately she pushed her thigh through the small space between the jeans and Lorelai's legs. She tried to hold herself back, her mind seeming to be anywhere else but holding back.

She pushed against the newly bared leg and closed her eyes as Lorelai's hot flesh tightened against her legs in a position reminiscent of suction.  
   
"Don't hold back for me, Par," Lorelai growled out, struggling to stay up in the jeans as the cold water compressed them against her legs. "Let yourself get into it, baby." She purposefully rocked against her, scraping her teeth upon her nipples in circular motions. "I'm here for you...this is so hot...yeah...yeah, P, fuck my thigh, soak it deep."

"Lor...don't...want...to..."

"Go for it," she demanded. "Don't bubble it up. Let it rip out." She pushed the leg in and out faster and faster, pushing it as close against the blonde's pussy as deeply as she could.  
   
"My...cunt...is...good God...fuck..."

Lorelai lifted the dress further, pulling it over her rear to almost completely bare the younger woman. Scrunched like a bag around her midsection, she almost forgot the article as Lorelai growled at her to open her legs up as far as she could. The jeans were down to her ankles and then undone completely, leaving nothing keeping Paris apart from her lover. The viscosity of the water was overwhelming, the heat of the greenhouse warming Paris's back.

"Could you just imagine...somebody watching us," Lorelai suggested with a whisper as she kept her pace. "All of these windows, nobody else here. But you know if someone was looking from outside that they would be turned on. Seeing a Chilton mother fucking you so hard you see stars."

"Lor.." She was pushed against the glass wall as tightly as possible. "I...don't wanna."

"You wanna. You wanna so much. Your mind is saying hell no, your body hardly agrees. Can't hold it anymore, no need to keep abstinent to ruin your test prep on-track." Reaching back she kept a hold on the girl by softly pulling at her hair. "No need to hold yourself back on my account. I want you so bad...I want you all the time."

"You...don't...want...me," Paris argued.

"All of you. Every fucking part of you. To see that o-face, to watch and feel how you cum." Paris yelped as tingles spread throughout her scalp. "Get me all nice and messy, because I need this. I need this now. I need you to just relax yourself and don't you dare hold back. No grades, no hate, no bitterness. Ride me hard...yeah, like that...that's good...oh God, I love feeling your cunt against me, legs closing into mine...fuck me, Paris. Fuck my body however you want."

"Lor...oh God, Lor..." Lorelai was warmed, her raw sweat permeating Paris's nostrils. "Please...let me...let me do...something...else."

"Not now, let it out. Just go with it. Don't button up. Let me feel you spill over."

"I want...you...to...please, baby...please...ohhhh...ohhh...ugggh!!" She wanted to slow things down but her heart was speaking for her. She pulled Lorelai close as she could with her hands on the taller woman's waist as her self-control began to slip with Lorelai's daring actions. "Oh lord...ohhhhh...ohhhhhh...ohhh."

"Do it for me. Get this all, God, you look so beautiful all wet..."

"Wet for you..."

"Soaked to the bone, all ruined, not decent at all. Could never imagine you like this in Chilton."

"Never...in Chilton."

"You're growing beyond what you were. What you will be is passionate, driven, utterly unstoppable." Another tug on her hair, a bit stronger. "Louise would blush if she saw us like this."

"Fuck!" She screamed harshly, a thought of the flirty tease near her. "No...no...no...all yourrrrs...nobody else, Lor...never, ever."  
   
Harder strokes, deeper pushes within. "All mine?"

"I'm yours," Paris confessed, her eyes closed shut. "Louise...cute...you...intelligent...and burning...hot."

"Wanna see you cum," she rushed out, her heart rate racing. "My summer girl spilling all over."

"Want you." The blonde was begging now. "Want this...want so...much more." Deeper and deeper, she felt hands upon her soft ass, thumbs circling softly just above the most sensitive portion of her flesh. Her breasts bounced in a rhythm, pounding against Lorelai in a metronome-like beat as she slid herself in and out against her lover. Her eyes were still closed, her body warm, back hot from the heat upon the windows. Soon her eyes began to tighten, and her body went ridged slowly.  
   
"Feeling you about to cum...get over it for me. Just ride right over it." The spray of the sprinkling unit continued to overwhelm the situation. They were then pressed against each other, sharing deep and fully wanton kisses without any reservation, lips being bitten, friction and heat overwhelming them.  
   
"FUCK IT!" Paris felt she needed more room so she unexpectedly pushed aside another few flowers off the shelf, letting the pots shatter to the ground before. Holding the woman for dear life they moved into a reclining position upon the shelf, Paris praying their weight would hold on the metal structure topped with finished plywood. They found a new leverage quickly, along with a wonderful bed-like creak as Lorelai pushed against Paris, who was only too happy to lend a leg for further sexual activity.  
   
Soon with a shot, Paris was at her limit. Scraping her nails against Lorelai's back she had an orgasm much harder than her first earlier, shaking violently as she felt the tightness of her pussy release. She didn't let it out slowly and pushed herself hard against her lover as she found herself right above a sprinkler head. Thrashing to and fro, her ass circling the surface of the shelf, she felt Lorelai tightening the dress within her fists...  
   
And then tearing it quickly off her in a speedy tear from the zipper to the hem.

"See you all," she explained simply as Paris felt yet another unstoppable contraction from the tear. She felt the force of fluid as Lorelai withdrew her leg from her and ended up watching as her body betrayed her conservative nature once again. The simple tear triggered animalistic desires within her.  
   
She took Lorelai with her, pushing in hands to fuck the innkeeper ever deeper than she had the previous night. Still riding out her come she let her own fluids drip against her older lover's pussy and used them to slicken the slit. Three fingers immediately pushed in as she took new control, wordless as Lorelai couldn't dare interrupt her student's progress. She felt a powerful spasm in her body being atop Paris, a position she had never been in before during sex. A hand pounding within her, three fingers inside while her index finger and thumb circled around her clit.  
   
"Aaauuuggghh!" Both women were in full ecstasy as the overwhelming desire they both felt for each other came out in full force, both of them pushing hard and fast against each other until the inevitable collision between them.  
   
Lorelai didn't think she was at her peak by any means, but it was obvious that Paris was entirely different from anyone else she had before. The very stare of deep brown eyes penetrating her gaze, teeth scraping against her jaw line, the feeling of soft flesh within her hand, there was nothing more that she wanted in the world at that moment.  
   
Her mind was a kaleidoscope of thoughts, of how she always found love at the wrong time, and of how love for her often resulted in consequences she was unprepared to deal with. Moving towards a hilt she hadn't fathomed 26 hours ago when she was picking at her torte in front of Emily, she could have never thought in her entire lifetime that it would be a girl like Paris who would let her be her full self.  
   
The young mother tried to hold in her emotions as best she could, not wanting to ruin anything. But Europe overwhelmed her in that moment. The regret of leaving a relationship that was burning bright, even in its infancy. Of leaving behind a driven young woman who was still finding herself, alone in the world, all who surrounded her leaving for other places across the country.  
   
Lorelai came powerfully against Paris's fingers, but also felt tears streak down her face as all that she had dealt with in the last few months, hidden deep within her soul, also flooded through her. Screaming against the girl's shoulder, scratches marring the blonde's clear skin, with somebody else entirely Lorelai would have had to deal with a talk that would quickly devolve into a shouting match.

Instead, that thread the heiresses of Hartford share, young or old, was tied around them. The hesitation, the lack of any more profanity, the sounds of sobbing instead of relief. _Oh, Lor._ Paris knew there was something wrong immediately. Letting the woman ride out the waves, she had to assure Lorelai that what they had now would not disappear anytime soon. She clutched the taller woman against her, all thoughts of the setting forgotten, a hand brushing aside a stray lock of hair in front of Lorelai's eyes and placing the flower back in within the space between her temple and her ear.  
   
"Everything will work," Paris assured, her face flushed from cold, but her passion for the woman burning bright. "We'll get through this."

"I'm in Europe," Lorelai reminded her. "Europe. An ocean...apart. I wish I could just cancel. That the airline we're on would break down at Logan...we couldn't go. I...I want to put off...a trip...I want you, sweetie...and...and..." She cried uncontrollably, sobbing against Paris's shoulder, mumbling randomly about the trip and how she didn't want to go.  
   
At that moment, Lorelai wasn't talking to the Paris Gellar she knew as her daughter's arch enemy. That girl had disintegrated before her eyes in the space of only fifty hours in their view and many minutes on the phone.  
   
She couldn't hold back any longer. In that short of a time, Lorelai had found in Paris someone who was there for her and made her stronger. She had friends in Stars Hollow that she earned through the years. But she always felt those friendships were formed more out of sympathy for her predicament than anything else.  
   
Her younger friends had all abandoned her the moment her pregnancy was revealed. Not one of her girls room cohorts ever came to the mansion to see her child. Rory had no godparents, nobody with the will to jump over the gossip circle and give Lorelai that true friend she wanted and yearned for.  
   
Sookie was her best friend, but could never understand the pain she went through for all of those years. Slowly calming herself down, she continued to cry against her younger paramour, letting all of her stress spill out. The doubts about the inn, the dreams she had about being within the Independence in a locked room as fire raced through the edifice. How she didn't want to be under the thumb of her mother, but had to be to have her daughter's dreams come true.  
   
She had thought of nothing but everyone else for eighteen long years. Her dreams were never under serious consideration by her parents; she was to become what they wanted her to be.  
   
And love? It was an afterthought, a fear. The wedding dress never worn, the signs from others that they wanted to date her ignored. She wanted a father for her child. She wanted somebody dependable In her life.  
   
If she felt butterflies, it didn't matter to her. The 'father figure' factor came first, then the dizziness of love. And often that dizziness was cured once the reality set in; the reality of whether Rory could stand to have that other person in their home or call them her father.  
   
Thin hands splayed across her back, while her body overwhelmed the other by seven inches. She cried deeply, letting everything come out as the sprinklers continued to spray them. Skin against skin, heart to heart. She heard Paris whisper into her ear that it was fine to show weakness, something she never dare expected.  
   
"We're both ready to start over," she soothed, the water dripping down from her. "I never expected to have my life reset like this...to end my time in school in this way, in your arms. To find you to be beautiful and such a wonderful woman. But I'm here for you, Lor. I'm going to be in New Haven and if you ever just need an ear, I'll lend it."

"You...mean that?"

The girl nodded, her breath still rushed and her body still recovering. "We're friends. Friends are always there for each other."  
   
"No..."  
   
"No?"

Lorelai held her close. "Paris, you aren't my friend." She knew she was defeating Paris with those words, and she felt her grow tight.

"What are you talking about?" Her voice picked up volume and she prepared to fly into a panic.  
   
"Friends don't have the connection we have..." Her words still soft, she closed her eyes, pulled Paris close, and with a simple kiss, stilled her from moving any further.  
   
"Lovers do."

Lorelai knew she was being impulsive, probably stupid. But hearing over the last few hours that Paris was going to make it work, she had to stake her claim. To keep her heart, she had to give it away and know it was in good hands. Looking into deep eyes, she brushed Paris's cheek with her hand and then caressed the petals of the daisy which remained in her hair. The fragile flower held together, along with her want and need for the new graduate.  
   
"I would never say these words on the first date. They're the ones I fear saying the most. But I don't feel it with you. I...I can't deny what I feel anymore."

She took one last breath before admitting that which she needed to say before leaving the soil of the United States.  
   
"If this day is the last time I ever see you, I will not leave you without saying this..." She rose up, along with Paris, and upon the shelf, clutched her hand within the younger woman's.  
   
It was likely the most serious moment she ever shared in years.  
   
"I love you, Paris. I don't want to leave you, but I want you to know in such a short time, I've fallen in love with you."

Moments later, the sprinklers petered out. The air of the room was still moist, the scent of the flowers mixing and overwhelming the dew of the atmosphere. The late spring day outside was as normal as could be and Stars Hollow was a half hour away.  
   
Those were the facts. The things Paris considered immediately as the three words spilled from Lorelai's throat.  
   
Looking at the woman in front of her, who only months ago watched her in her worst moment of agony upon that stage. She thought in that short a time, she would have been able to move on from the Gilmores and head off to college, a new life ahead of her.  
   
She had not told Lorelai that Yale was chosen based on that small 1% factor of actually continuing to have Lorelai in her life. She knew she didn't have to, as it could remain unsaid for eternity. The girl had told her images of the woman behind her helped influence her choice.  
   
In the deepest part of her soul, she craved safety. The comfort of having someone there for her, a hand to hold at her worst moment. She had never told of the betrayal she felt when Rory decided to go to Harvard, of how 'it's a big school' turned into 'it's a big region, this New England.' She held out a modicum of hope that Rory would make the right choice and not stab her in the heart by going to the school she had wanted to attend for years.  
   
She felt bitter when she chose Jess and the lameness of the Stars Hollow Prom instead of going to Chilton's prom. Going all alone with Jamie, feeling like he was asserting the helicopter as a sincere gesture when she just found it as an extension of his non-existent cock size.  
   
Her love for Jamie was never true. Her friendship with Rory was built on assumptions and hopes that Rory would break through her wall and get to know her for who she truly was.  
   
But when Lorelai made that breakthrough that one afternoon in a stifling room, she knew at that moment that she had ignored Rory's pre-conceptions of her. They had survived eight hours together and the worst thing she could think about was the count of a cashbox. Not of anything else. Not of Lorelai ever doing anything wrong.  
   
And Lorelai had allowed her to confide in her. No questions asked, no blurting her worries to the entire dining hall. Their past was only that, their past. She always knew the breakup was inevitable and that soon she would find herself and Lorelai in a position like they were.  
   
She would have never thought Lorelai Gilmore would do anything more than humor her. Or even find the concept of having sex with another woman, much less her daughter's friend, intriguing. Their repartee was built on being witty and true to themselves. But it was also filled with passion, a want to have a debate partner that they didn't have to work their schedules around.  
   
Paris stared at Lorelai, entranced. Her eyes fell to the carnation within her hair. Her breathing was heavy, her body pocked with scars and bruises from their physical and beautiful lovemaking. She didn't hold back her lust for the woman at all until her eyes fell upon the flower. They paused.  
   
Eyes communicated. Lorelai felt that sting, that yearning that had been missing for so long. Why with her she was sure she could never figure out. Paris's lip trembled as her hands took in the texture of the flower, the simple gift that hid more than just that small gesture. She sucked in her mouth, knowing rejection was far away, but with her next statement she would be spending the summer checking her phone for news alerts, along with CNN every day and night to know someone close to her was safe.  
   
She tried to hold herself back, that harsh voice of Sharon Gellar in her head reminding her that she was not to show emotion. If she could hold it in and stay strong, she might show superiority between them.  
   
 _We're equal._ Her conscience, which had been against her for so long, began to come around in that moment. The press of fingers in her palm, intense eyes upon her in a way she always craved, it was a sign that around Lorelai, she didn't have to be _Le Pitbull_. She just had to be herself.  
   
She attempted to block the stirring, but her emotions were in sync with her heart. She couldn't stand holding back any longer, and she teared up, her face in anguish, her heart completely open.  
   
"I don't want...you to leave..." She had been weak when Jamie broke up with her. But in this moment she was strong as Lorelai took Paris into her arms and let the reality of the situation sink in. Her heart broke for the blonde as she knew this would be the final time until August that they would be in each other's presence. Openly sobbing, Lorelai followed and began to cry again.  
   
She loved her accomplishments, but hated that when she found happiness it was always rudely stripped from her. Both women held each other tight, breathing each other in and needing that bare thread of contact between their bodies for the last time. Nothing was said, Paris bawling openly against Lorelai's shoulder within the deep afterglow of their lovemaking and confronting the finality of the situation. Lorelai hugged the girl tightly, caressing her dampened hair and showing how much love she did hold for the raw young woman in just the short amount of time they had known each other. She felt soft busses against her shoulder, a sliding of her tongue against the blade.  
   
Lorelai knew that they were intense lovers. That Paris was in the relationship, heart and soul. Her hand upon her back, she felt her eyes raw from all of the shed tears. She didn't know what the future held, but the certainty there would hopefully be a future held her to be protective of her.

It took Paris awhile to settle down, letting the emotions of the week finally spill out, all of them seemingly incoherent. But Lorelai kept her in her grasp, not once having a thought of pulling away as her soul was poured out upon her shoulder. Her breath began to normalize and her grip slipped away as Paris began to calm herself with her usual thumb in the palm technique. Her eyes fluttered as she squeezed the last tears from her eyes.  
   
"I'm so sorry," she said, feeling the need to apologize through a newly sore throat. "I...I didn't mean..."

"It's OK." Lorelai smiled at her, leaving the words unsaid. "You're not weak in my eyes at all." Her own demeanor was quiet and reserved, and also a bit embarrassed. "I guess we're both hardly done here."

"There's still so much we have to go over." The blonde stretched her stiff body out. "Why is it we always have such lousy timing in our relationships?"

"I don't know. Guess we're cursed."

"Our parentage proves that. At least maternally."  
   
"Sharon and Emily continuously make us feel miserable for going through their wombs, I think." Lorelai laughed softly. "How is it we're saner than them?"

"It's a secret we only know, but we're not telling."

Paris then brought her attention to the flower again, brushing the edge of the carnation with her thumb, droplets of water trickling down from the bud. Her gaze was intense, drawing Lorelai in to look at her as she smiled.  
   
"Whatever the case, the flower has a message within it. More than a gift. It came from my heart."

"I know." Both of them were entranced. "If there's one thing I learned through the hundreds of weddings at the Independence, it's the meaning of flowers and that they have entire language of their own that's unsaid."

"So...what does that carnation say about how I feel for you?" she whispered, her hand sliding within Lorelai's once again.  
   
"That you have an affection for me that runs very deep and consumes your very being." She clasped the hand deeply within hers. "It has taken you over and there's nary a thought of Jamie any longer. You only think of me and that there's a deep caring in your heart that you can't explain, but in all this time you've felt more between us than you ever did anybody else."

"Also, that I love you, Lorelai." Saying it softly, she knew the hotelier was dancing around the second meaning. "And I do. When I saw you last afternoon I thought I could evade much longer. But now, if I didn't say it before you left, I would regret it for the rest of my days." She shook her head. "And here Rory reminded me that the Gilmores had a long-lived aversion to confessing love."

"Don't remind me. That wasn't my fault. I just only say it when I know that it's true. She should have said it when it was right. But she heightens everything wrong about me and it hurts to have her make these assumptions about my emotions." Taking a couple of deep breaths, she felt whole again. "I...I don't know what happens from here. I'm scared to death to lose contact with you, and angry that the only way I'll only be able to contact you is through letters mailed in the middle of the night or phone calls I have to make under her nose. I hate that I have to hide you. I hate that you have to shield your true self until Yale starts."  
   
"I hate that you even have to leave. That I'm going to go back to normal because without you here I will lose my perspective.”

"I hate the thought of not waking up to you. Or hearing you dream."

"I hate that I won't taste of coffee upon your breath for two months."

"I hate that I won't be able to spend an entire evening entertained by just us, together, talking about everything."

"I hate how my heart swells upon seeing your name and I have to hide the squeal I want to let out fully."

Resting upon each other's foreheads, they felt that deep longing between them again.  
   
"I hate that I have to leave you," Lorelai said, her voice slightly breaking.

"I hate we have to put everything on pause for two months."

"But I love you."

"I love you too." Kissing, the two women were lost in each other's eyes. The greenhouse was a mess, their clothes ruined, fingers wrinkling and the showers of earlier completely wasted. But in that moment, with each other in a room all alone, away from the world at large, they felt completely at ease, not wanting to drift away, the effects of twenty hours together showing that there was going to be much more to what may have been once upon a time, a one-time thing.  
   
Both of them determined in that moment that they would not see their love end that day. All qualms were pushed aside, and as Lorelai whispered something into Paris's ear, the petite woman blushed deeply at what was suggested within those words. A month before the very idea would have been bitterly rejected.  
   
But as they both gathered their clothes and Paris wrote a note on the dry erase board to the gardener claiming raccoons had gotten into the greenhouse, she deeply laughed out loud, glad for once for letting herself go. She knew she was going down a path her mother didn't want her to even sight from afar.  
   
As they both left the greenhouse with their clothes in a ball, both women had no care to the fact they were walking the grounds of the gardens in nothing much, the sun kissing their skin and the atmosphere of the yard light and free.  
   
It was a feeling that Lorelai hadn't experienced in twenty years. And for the first time in her young lifetime, Paris felt the pull of rebellion being a wonderful thing...  
   
...and she could enjoy the very naughty things that her lover suggested they attempt within the garden before they finally had to take their leave.  


* * *

 ** Great Room, 5:55pm  
   
**"Yes, I'm on my way. Look, I'm sorry if I'm putting a crimp in things--God, I will be home, kiddo, I promise. Yes...I promise. Love you too." Closing the clamshell hard, Lorelai let out a loud grunt of annoyance after explaining to Rory that she had decided to take the scenic road home from Hartford to have time to herself.  
   
"She's pervasive," Paris commented as Lorelai tossed the device onto the coffee table. "You'd think after eighteen years she'd be thankful to cut the cord. I know I am."

"I would think so too. I can't move to Boston to baby her every day. Sometimes I feel like she enjoys rubbing her monogamy in my face." Huffing, Lorelai crossed her arms across her chest. Wearing yet another one of Sharon's shopaholic spree-acquired tops, she felt the frustrations of Rory's current behavior continue to manifest within her. "I'm sorry if I'm not acquiescing to her dream that her father and I finally marry. Not when he has a child with another woman he cares for, and especially not when I don't feel a thing with him."

"I don't understand her. She keeps talking about being the next Amanpour, but at this point I feel like I'm watching her become a Natalie to Jess's Chet. I don't see it ending well, no matter her altruistic allusions into getting him into BC. I know that he'll do well in a setting where he doesn't have to listen to inane ramblings by an instructor if he doesn't want to." Theorizing further, she explained that Rory's tutoring style was off-base. "I consider myself a friend to him, and he felt like Rory put too much pressure on him to pass those exams. I personally think summer school would have been a better setting for him since that principal of his was nowhere to be found, but Rory was all 'June or die,' like summer school was something to be ashamed of. It isn't."

"So you think he should've eased off the throttle this last semester and maybe waited to get into college until winter?"

"I think he'll do fine, but he would have been more comfortable getting in during January than August. I watched Rory tutor him and she rode him too hard. It's a wonder the poor guy hasn't collapsed from being smothered by her."

"See, that's how I've been seeing it!" Her eyes lit up as Paris sat next to her. "She's spent too much time with him because she's under this assumption that she's not there, his eyes wander and he has competition. It's like when I was with Max, he needed his space, his exciting book talks and all of that while I went shopping and tended to the Inn. She can't just stay with him forever; the poor boy needs some space."

"Funny that you're calling him 'poor boy' a year after you wanted to cut off his 'little boy' for maiming your flesh and blood."

"Hey, he's improved. He helps out around the house, doing the lawn and fixing the roof tiles with Luke. And unlike Rory he has the sense of mind to know I don't need details of their sex life."

"She shares?"

Lorelai's hands went high and wide. "Overshares! She has pro and con lists involving various certain...enhancing oils and prophylactics that she wants me to go over personally. Do I look like I want to know the difference between Trojan and Trojan-Enz? God, I can't imagine what embarrassing things poor Jess has to do with his employee discount."  
   
Paris blanched, feeling a bit of pain for the boy she called 'Reb'. "I kind of see him being protective of her and pushing back some of the things she wants him to do with her. He lived in Brooklyn and probably had his virginity taken for $20 an hour. The boy has limits."

"OK, we're talking about Jess with a hooker. How is this normal conversation in any sense?" Shaking her head, Lorelai laughed at their absurdity. "Plus, I shouldn't be talking about their relationship with her classmate."

"Correction, ex-classmate."

"True, but I talk about this to Sookie and she's making plans for keeping Davey in military school from ten on. You just shrug it off like 'boys will be overly hormonal filled beings.'"

"The guy is good. He's also smart, unlike Dean."

"That's true. I'm less threatened by him than I was in the past." She felt calm at least in that regard. "He's rebellious but at least he knows now to rein it in."

The two women talked more as they found the time slipping away from them, both of them not wanting to let go themselves. But soon the clock was chiming the half-hour of 6pm, and after the phone rang yet again (this time ignored for voice mail), the both of them made their way out to the front drive and the Jeep, Lorelai resting against the side of the tan vehicle as she kept Paris's hands within hers. A late afternoon gust of wind blew through their hair, both of them feeling out of place about saying goodbye.  
   
"So...this is it." Lorelai was the first to speak. "We managed to spend near twenty-four hours together without the intervention of a meat cleaver upon an artery."

Paris smiled, pleased that the entire situation had gone well. "I would have gone with inhalation of carbon monoxide within a vehicle myself. Keep a clean corpse in life as in death."

"But it would take on that odd grey tinge. And your burial procedures, not exactly receptive to the preservation or the makeup. At least you could go closed-coffin with a stabbing death."

"Overdose of Tylenol? Your insides are ruined but at least it's quick."

"Are you sure you're not a hidden Goth? It would be perfect, since this place is dark and foreboding."

"I studied death, but I wish to not experience it for years." Looking down at her scuffed New Balance sneakers, Paris for the first time wasn't looking forward to the end of time with her beloved. She reached into her pocket to take something out to give to Lorelai. "By the way, I want you to have this." She folded the papers in and handed them to Lorelai, who took it into her palm in shock as she looked over what Paris gave her.

"Paris, I can't accept this," she asserted. "I don't--"

"You told me Emily wanted you to get a phone over there, right?"

"True. But--"

"The phones she suggested? They're cheap, and they suck. Trust me from experience; you'll be thankful for a $350 phone with $150 in minutes over spending $50 on a glorified walkie-talkie."

"If you're sure." Lorelai felt uncomfortable accepting so much money from her lover. "You give this to me though and I feel like I'm using you."

"I have more where that came from."  
   
"But Par--" She cut the woman off before her newest unfocused ramble with a simple kiss. Pulling back, she smiled when Lorelai couldn't respond past ten seconds.  
   
"I win. Enjoy your new phone. Preferably with a camera and picture messaging, please."

"Damn it. I got played by you once again." Shaking her head she slid the five bills into her purse. "You know using electronic communications devices inappropriately gets me hot and you totally played into that."

"I did." She felt a certain sense of superiority over her lover, and in turn, Mrs. Gilmore. "Won't it feel nice to know you outplayed your mother though?"

"You don't know how much pleasure I'll get out of it." The woman smiled, feeling calm and open, ready to face the world anew after her day of seclusion at the Manor. "You look a little down, by the way."

"I am," Paris admitted, her slumped posture and mopiness since they came back from the garden very apparent. "I'm going to feel lost all summer without you."

"I'll always be there. On that phone. I'll email the number as soon as I get it. And of course you can look forward to weekly letters as I go through Europe."

"It's not that, though." Slumping against the door of the Jeep, she felt confessional. "Why is it I can find a girlfriend in you, but my best friend can't be bothered to see me?"  
   
Lorelai didn't know what she could do to soothe Paris's pain. The fact that her own daughter couldn't be bothered to see a good friend bothered her deeply and she knew it would remain the hanging chad in their relationship. All she could do was hug Paris close for the last time and try to explain things in her view.  
   
"I honestly don't know. I wish I could. I know it's not Jess, and I know she doesn't hate you. I think she's just...I don't know. Hopefully I can fix that this summer, this her becoming distant. I feel like I'm losing her myself and..."

Lorelai left the statement hanging purposefully, afraid to fully voice out her deepest fears. If there was one thing she learned over the years, it only took one person to take someone away from a goal. Paris had been lucky to stay strong through it all and found her way to Lorelai, but the innkeeper had that sense that her daughter was easily led on.  
   
But those were thoughts for another day. Paris's fingers slid across Lorelai's face, her eyes showing she didn't want to leave the conversation ended on such a dark note.

"I'm going to miss you," Lorelai admitted, her voice cracking while she failed to keep the tears from flowing. "It's going to be hard...remaining your dirty little secret." She frowned a bit, choking back emotions when Paris pulled her close.  
   
The blonde put it all in perspective for her. "We can survive two months away from each other. This isn't goodbye, it's..." She pressed one last kiss against her lover's wanting lips.  
   
"...just so long for now." Paris closed her eyes, reveling in the final buss, but not wanting to pull away. The two women remained against the vehicle for a couple more minutes, wanting that last moment together before they would have to come back to the outside world.

When Christopher left her all those years ago, Lorelai mourned his leaving, but in reality she was content with her decision to leave society for the Hollow. Even with Max, she was glad that both of them had no regrets during those awkward meetings through the entirety of the last year at Chilton.  
   
But as she began the slow process of sliding her fingertips away from the worn smooth palms of Paris Gellar, she also felt like a piece of her heart would remain with the college freshman. Blue eyes upon brown, she saw just a slight flash of the future. Of the possibilities of what they could be in the future and how they could even manage to live with each other.  
   
For now, it was just a flash. _It may not come true_ , she thought to herself, remaining ever cautious of herself. Pulling her hand away to fish the keys out of her purse, she felt hot and flushed, embarrassed to be so lovesick over a girl who she would have never thought a romantic.  
   
"Umm, do you want any souvenirs? Like, a trinket or anything?" _Stupid!_ She scolded herself over the question the moment she asked it. "It has to be small and--"

"I have too many souvenirs," Paris admitted, her eyes wide. "Having parents who globetrot the world has pretty much given me a snowglobe collection I loathe."

She paused, reflective on what she did want. "What I want for you to do is have fun, don't let Rory's lists get to you, and most importantly, just come back rested and refreshed. Just forget everything stressful in your life."

"What do **you** want though?"

"What I want is to just hear you talk about Europe and how you saw it when we see each other again. I don't need you to give me anything but your words and visions." She drew away from the woman slowly. "I think visually, Lor. I don't need a teaspoon set to show me you were in Amsterdam when your description of the canals and taking Rory against her will to the red light district to watch her feel very uncomfortable will certainly suffice."

"And I thought you were done bugging her when you got your diploma," Lorelai said, laughing. "I would have never thought that up, but now I must describe to her why Amsterdam is hardly just the city of diamonds and tulips or the New Orleans of the Zunder Zee."

"Can't wait for that letter."

"Oh, I think you'll enjoy it. I might even indulge in some legal wacky tobaccy when I'm there." Paris couldn't help but smile at how Lorelai's eyes lit up describing the mischief she wanted to get into, along with the hidden intelligence that she never boasted about. "It's going to be fun, I think."

"I'm sure it will." Scuffing her deck shoe along the ground, Paris had finally come to the moment she dreaded most and had been able to push as far as she possibly could.  
   
"Paris, I'm going to be OK. I promise." She knew that the girl was about to collapse herself back within the moment her tires left the Manor grounds, going back to the girl she was expected to be, rather than a strong woman. "Every day, I'm going to wake up and wish you were sleeping next to me."

"But what if things change? What if I'm in Idaho and I find someone else? Or someone sweeps you off your feet in Hamburg? I went into this that afternoon content that we would only be together one time. Now it's been almost a month and I love you. And I'm going to spend every day checking that post office box and hope that I don't find a _Dear Jane_ equivalent letter waiting within it." Her heart was overwhelmed by the what-ifs. "I keep hearing all this talk you're committed to me and not saying a word, but there might be something that changes us. It might not work out and--"

Lorelai was urgent with how she dealt with the situation.  
   
"Hey!" She interrupted Paris, a maneuver which would have usually resulted in her impending death with anybody else. Calming her down with hands on her shoulders, Lorelai stared into her eyes and reassured her. "If I break up what we have, and that 'if' is currently as distant as the sun from here, you will not learn from a cold letter, nor a sudden phone call. I have no intention of ending anything and I do want you to know that I intend to give this the biggest shot I have. I would have never admitted I loved you if there was even the smallest chance that I felt we couldn't do this. There is this amazing chemistry between the two of us that is just overwhelming, more so than it was with Mr. Medina. So don't you dare think about us ending anytime soon, Par. I love you and I promise you that your heart is safe with me."

"I'm just scared," she admitted, pulling the woman close one last time. "You know how I am."

"I know. We'll get through this, I promise." Both of them hugged, yearning to have that last touch as long as possible. Soon though they pulled away, Lorelai opening the door as Paris stepped away from the Jeep, her hands shaking.  
   
"Safe travels," she said as Lorelai started the vehicle.

"The same to you," Lorelai said through the unrolled window, taking one last look at Paris, lingering as the woman stood at the curb of the front walkway. Finally, she put the vehicle into drive and pressed the pedal lightly, driving away from the Manor at a slow pace, all the while hiding her emotions as the backwards image of her lover standing in wait within her mirror became smaller and smaller. Making the turn that brought her away from the main circle of the Manor drive, green foliage replaced the visage of her girlfriend and she felt an immediate flutter of lost deep within her soul.  
   
She hated having to hide the joy and emotions she expressed in that almost full day with the young woman. Taking a deep breath, she tried to hold back further emotions as she passed the guards at the gate, who just smiled and bid her off, completely clueless to the activities within and outside the mansion.  
   
Lorelai did not arrive back into Stars Hollow until nine o'clock, taking a meandering road along the Connecticut River drinking in the imagery she hadn't been able to bask in until that moment. After a stop at a Route 9 diner and then stopping at an overlook near Cromwell, the passionate woman took in her last moments of peace before having to experience _Planes, Trains & Automobiles _for the next two months, all by her lonesome.  
   
Straddling the railing, she reached into her purse to find her phone, to send one last text...  
   
Her hand came upon something else entirely. Reaching into the bag, she felt a velvet box within the small confines of the purse.

"That's strange," she told herself. "I don't remember bringing this..." Taking it out, the dark grey velvet box caught her attention.

At first she thought she might have kept something inside it. A small part of her mind suggested that Paris had seduced her and placed stolen jewelry within her purse in order to start a revenge plot against Rory for taking the valedictorianship.  
   
Upon opening the clamshell container though, Lorelai found her eyes caught on something beautiful. Along with a folded note.  
   
This time, the upper fold read _to my tease_. Smiling, she unfolded the note, to read it in the humidity of the evening as the sun began to fade in the west.  
   
 _L,  
   
If I would have actually given you this, I'd still have it. I know how you are, refusing gifts despite insistence that you deserve them._

_I know you're trying to come up with a reason to bring this back. It won't work, so don't you even try.  
   
I'm not much for grand gestures. I know my sense of romance is sort of warped. But when I gave you that carnation this afternoon, it was a sincere gesture from my heart to show how much that I do love you. I don't know how I can repay you for helping me find my footing once again after all of this turmoil of the last month. What we share, I don't know that I'm going to find it again.  
   
So I will fight for you. I promise that I will be loyal, that despite how I appear, your heart is safe and protected with me. I will not let you run. You have nothing to fear from me. Around only you I am fully open and though you will not be with me this summer, at least if you have this you will always be reminded of the moment when our silly little thing became a dirty little secret. I want you to wear it and when you look down, always be reminded that I will be there for you when you're back in Connecticut.  
   
Keep yourself safe. Know that I love you always and that even from afar, I will be thinking of you always._

_Your bitch,  
P  
   
P.S. - We really need to think of a feminist-friendly nickname on my side of the coin.  
   
_Lorelai was taken aback by the letter, her hands again tracing the delicate handwriting upon the parchment stationery. Her eyes took in the curves of the cursive, feeling a connection with the girl through her words that she knew wouldn't waver.  
   
Looking over the gift, she found within the box a simple silver anklet without embellishment, beyond one solitary ruby exactly mid-way between the clasps surrounded by two small diamonds. Lorelai examined the jewelry closely, noting the care that went into the article, along with the name of the jeweler that suggested this was not a last-minute gift, but the aged silk lining the box and the crackled logotype suggested she had been given an heirloom, likely not from Paris's mother's side at all as the jeweler was based in Hartford rather than Sharon's hometown of Newark, Delaware.  
   
It even seemed to her that the article had never been worn, the mark of the anklet within the box having a deep depression which suggested it had never been taken out of the box.  
   
"Paris's father must have wanted to give this to her," she thought. "But she thought it was..." She took a breath, deciding that dwelling on its history meant nothing. It was now her gift, one Paris had given her from the heart.  
   
She bent down to her left foot and rolled her sock down. She then wound the anklet around the exact spot where only two weeks before almost to the hour the intense blonde had proven that there was more to her than what the eye could see. Clasping it softly, she slipped the sock off to admire the bracelet draped across the flesh.  
   
It was neither too tight nor too loose, fitting perfectly. Sitting on a bench nearby she admired the anklet and how it caught the glint of a dim streetlight. Her throat tightened as she took in the simple jewelry, the perfect way to hide her love for a woman that she knew very few would approve of as her partner.  
   
Yet, she didn't feel wrong. To her, it felt completely right, and she had no doubts. Taking a deep breath in, she felt as if she could survive the summer, somehow.  
   
A tear fell from her eyes as she realized that only in the space of one month, she had fallen fast for Paris in the space of only parts of five days. It took three months of persuasion by Christopher to give him a chance, while it took so many meetings with Max for her to even agree to the sort-of non-date the night of the snowstorm.  
   
"I haven't even had a date with her," she told herself. "But I know that it's true."

In an hour she knew she would have to explain why she felt the need to explore Hartford after her 'hotel stay', and Rory would be unhappy about throwing off their packing plans for her own needs. As she sat on that small bench and basked in the memories of the last 36 hours, Lorelai knew that she would never regret having such a roller-coaster night with a woman who was turning into a romantic before her very eyes.  
   
She didn't know what the future held, or if their chemistry would remain the next time they saw each other. But as she started the Wrangler to head back into town, she knew that her future in an empty nest looked a little less empty.  


* * *

 ** Paris's Bedroom, 11:15pm  
   
**She usually enjoyed the quiet. Being raised in a large house where her only interruption was usually the maid gathering her laundry, Paris was a private girl, bound to enjoy her peace, especially when her parents where nowhere within the state of Connecticut.  
   
But she knew as she prepared to go to bed that it felt a bit empty without her lover to see her off. For once she was glad that the bed remained unmade and that the boxers and shirt Lorelai wore before they made love were still buried within the blankets. Putting them on, she felt connected to Lorelai, despite the distance they would share.  
   
In the few hours she had with the woman before she had to leave for Europe, Paris had pushed aside all of her cynicism about romance and love. Putting her heart on the line, she found that Lorelai accepted it fully, and was glad to hear later that she loved the gift of the anklet which had been given to her by her Nanna, a gift her mother had rejected as being too simple.  
   
But for Lorelai, it was perfect. Everything was perfect to Paris. Jamie was completely in the distance, the last of his gifts to be mailed back to him on Monday with a tersely worded letter that would undoubtedly ruin any ideas the boy had of reconciling a romance with her. She was still the hidden love of Lorelai Gilmore, but the woman also returned her feelings and treated her equally.  
   
Her body was sore, bruised with love bites, her body still incredibly sensitive to any wayward touch. After enjoying a delivered supper of the forbidden delights of fried chicken and mac and cheese, she found herself moaning in enjoyment from how much the meal filled her and how Lorelai would have undoubtedly enjoyed it with her.  
   
She also still felt the effects of Lorelai's little escapade as they went back to the garden house from the greenhouse. _I'm probably going to find dirt in my belly button for weeks_ , she thought to herself as she closed her eyes and remembered how she let her guard completely down.  
   
Sliding into bed, she put her head on the pillow which Lorelai had used, taking in the woman's scent imprinted upon it. She would sleep soundly this evening...  
   
But then the SMS sound on her phone went off. Quickly grabbing it, she found that even if they couldn't be in each other's presence, the phone would be their lifeline until the moment Lorelai left Boston. She read the text message.  
   
 _You're Supergirl. You have the hair, the eyes and the body...boy do you ever have the body.  
   
_Paris laughed to herself, and responded quickly.  
   
 _I'm pleased to have a superhero moniker that defines me perfectly. However this puts pressure on me to keep the frosh 15 off, esp. for Halloween ;).  
   
_Hitting send, she was satisfied with her missive, tossing her hair back and glad for once to only be fretting about sexual peculiarities rather than the newest exam.  
   
It took a couple minutes for her lover to respond back. But soon...  
   
 _Fuck. You know you're killing me here. You'd go as her, full costume?_

 __She tapped on the small keyboard as fast as she could, smirking evilly.  
   
 _If you're a good girl you just might get to tie me up with your lasso of truth, Wonder Woman.  
   
_From there, the conversation didn't exactly cool down much. Paris especially would enjoy when Lorelai suggest they take their conversation to the phone within a few minutes, as they decided that Lorelai's phone minutes deserved to be burning their desires rather than that of their mothers...  


* * *

 **_ To be continued...  
_ **  



	4. Unexpected Foreign Journeys & Beautiful Parisian Romances (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Love and coincidences bond Lorelai and Paris together for two night and two days in the French capital of Paris. More is found out about each other, unexpected things are revealed and love brings the two women closer and sooner than they ever expected, leading into a later night of passion.

**Title: The Innkeeper's Lover | Chapter Four | Unexpected Foreign Journeys & Beautiful Parisian Romances  
Author: **Nate  
 **Pairing:** Paris/Lorelai, 3rd person POV  
 **Spoilers:** Nothing spoiled here besides a different take on the backpacking trip between seasons three and four, along with some changes to how Lorelai bought the Inn and some differences involving Paris's summer before she ended up at Yale.  
 **Rating:** NC-17 (very heavy sexual situations, profanity, hidden exhibitionism within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, underage drinking (not in France, but certainly in America) and allusions to non-monogamous attractions to others, and some rampant romantic consumerism.)  
 **Disclaimer:** I think we all know this by now, unless somehow all of your _Gilmore Girls_ viewing has been done without watching any credits or reading any stories about the show; Amy-Sherman Palladino/Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions wrote it, Hofflund-Polone produced it and Warner Bros. Television gave it the facilities and means to film it and air it. All the programs, networks, universities and products mentioned within are the property and trademarks of their respective owners, and no disrespect is meant or implied. All of the Parisian and French attractions mentioned in this story are the property of their various owners and if there are any errors on how I portrayed them, please feel free to let me know. However I kind of stand by my portrayal of O'Hare Airport as a living nightmare of an airfield.  
 **Archiving:** Starting out on Passion and Perfection exclusively for the International Day of Femslash, and eventually to GilmoreGirlsFemslash and AO3. This is not being posted to ff.net because it's too explicit to meet that site's TOS. Anyone else, ask before archiving.  
 **Summary:** Love and coincidences bond Lorelai and Paris together for two night and two days in the French capital of Paris. More is found out about each other, unexpected things are revealed and love brings the two women closer and sooner than they ever expected, leading into a later night of passion.  
 **Author's** **Notes:** I'm going to get this out of the way before anything else; this story does **not** have a positive view about Rory. This is her if she got Harvard, decided to have sex with Jess and start the attitude she got once she met Logan a few years early, and isn't being nice at all to either Lorelai or Paris. I will not apologize for it, and it will not be toned down for future chapters. You want the Rory that does no wrong, many stories have that point of view already. This is **not** that one.

With that out of the way...you all remember when I said this was going to be written between _Longing_ chapters, right? Back in the waning days of 2009? Yeah, this story kind of ran away from me, and now you're reading the near 90,000 word result of not putting this out earlier  (150 days of having this document open, for transparency's sake). And even then, I have not posted all I have written and this is just the first half of this part of the story. I hope that my next chapter for this will come out before the mid-term elections next year (with me, no promises though :-/). Again, sorry for taking so long and I hope you enjoy what is usually a fic meant for an Epic Proportions update in the heat of July. This is truly a labor of love and shows how much I care about the love these two women would share beyond the show. Heck, this story has been so long I've had **two** laptops where I've written it on.

I also do realize that in the show, Lorelai would not be as receptive to some of Paris's overtures as she would be, say Max or Christopher. But this is a different coupling and it's clear here Paris only wants to make Lorelai happy, not spend money on her just to stroke her own ego, and I have tried to make it so that Lorelai isn't asking for handouts or anything and remains her independent self.

My thanks to everyone who has read this story, along with Danielle as usual, and Marieke, who pretty much kept me bonded to LorPar even as my inspiration waned a few years back.  


* * *

Lorelai was completely spent. When she had begun to plan her backpacking trip with Rory years and years before, she figured that it would be a breeze. Budget correctly, prepare herself for the rigors of travel for nearly a month and a half and prepare herself for odd sleeping arrangements, along with getting used to having nearly forty pounds of things on her back every day for nearly sixty days.

Truly, it had been an experience so far living out of one bag and seeing Europe with her daughter. She loved looking at everything and having her daughter give her little facts she didn't know about. Thankfully her years in innkeeping also meant that learning foreign languages was almost a requirement, so finally she was able to use her German, Czech, Dutch and French language skills to ask for more than if a guest needed a fresh towel or maid service, and made her seem much better to the locals than an average American tourist.

As she and Rory neared the French capital on a discount bus however, the rigors of travel were finally getting to the 35 year-old woman. She was looking forward to the three day stop in Paris, although the only accommodation she could seem to find was a hostel on the edge of the city. One she had read during a visit at an internet café which was described as 'basic' and 'spartan'. She had been ready to spoil herself with at least one night at least in a respectable mid-priced hotel, but Rory vetoed it, claiming that 'we need to experience this trip in a completely off-the-cuff way, and we can't do that at a hotel'. Although she really wanted to overrule her daughter and knew she had plenty to pay for a room, she ceded to her daughter's wishes to not get into an argument with her.

One of the problems she had found was that Rory spent most of her time buried in writing letters to Jess and making phone calls to hash out details about Harvard rather than actually enjoying the travel. While she was off to explore central Vienna Rory was at the hostel taking advantage of their Internet to have a chat with Jess that would have otherwise been dreadfully boring.

It also reminded her that Rory had a boyfriend that that was supporting her and was available most of the time. As she looked out the window while the bus made its way north up the A6 from Lyon she kept recalling that the last time her and Paris were able to make contact was a few days ago in a way too short to satisfy either of them.

The future Yalie had made her way west for travels herself, deciding to take a week in Seattle and Vancouver with her father for a driving trip along the Sea to Sky Highway and US 101 before hitting both cities and heading west to meet her nanny in Boise to help her and the woman's family get settled in. She sent updates and Lorelai did the same through email, but somehow Rory had completely hijacked the cell phone she purchased for the purposes of her own needs. She kept asking for it back but when she asked why, Rory reminded her she was now buying the most minutes and cards for the phone, closing the argument off and basically killing one of the channels Lorelai and Paris hoped to have over the next two months.

Handwritten letters were also a problem as addresses changed and mail was slow, along with her daughter telling her not to buy stamps. "We'll just buy things to give to everyone," she said. "Why waste money on stamps we can't use after we cross a border?" The problem was, what do you get the girl who has everything, as Lorelai still had not found the perfect thing to buy Paris on her travels.

E-mails had to be sent on the fly as inevitably sessions in Hotmail to send an update were either broken apart by Emily popping on and asking for an MSN chat or Rory's natural curiosity. Exchanges became shorter, more rushed, the only way Lorelai could say anything was sending Rory off for food to get in a couple minutes of writing and hope her courage kept up. Lorelai had begun to find it hard to keep up.

Paris had the same distractions as she made her way back out east. Her father was indeed a well-meaning, although distant parent, and he kept a close eye on things, restricting her internet time and deciding to institute a 'no cell phones' rule on the road, intending for Paris to experience travel like he did in the 70's, _Easy Rider_ style (albeit in a Land Rover with satellite radio and GPS).  Though she found it fun and certainly took many pictures and detours on her travels, she found communications with the older woman to be waning. She remembered reading that Rory controlled the cell phone almost sent her into anguish and gristled at the exchanges with Lorelai online which inevitably lead to the words 'damn it, mom's on, cu' too many times.

Her intention had to been to travel back home after settling Francisca down and spending the rest of the summer lazing around until August just after the family reunion a couple weeks later, delayed from its original date due to a wedding that gave the venue much more money than the Gellars pushing the date forward, which it seemed not many in the family minded. Thankfully she had nothing more to play with Yale as her room was taken care of, her primary class choices were known to her advisors and she had made herself known to her instructors before leaving. Her father diverged west in Boise to head to Jakarta and she took her time getting home by spending the Yellowstone area, another night in Salt Lake City, and then two more days to get to Denver to catch her flight home after a transfer at Chicago O'Hare, along with a few nights in small towns along the way. The woman had so much time to herself, but kept looking to her right in the SUV, missing someone to share it with. The young woman was only beginning to find herself with the beguiling innkeeper and a vacation had broken up the natural chemistry they had been building deeply.

It had been a trip to remember, but she was looking forward to getting home, although she knew she would have her usual hassles at O'Hare, or as Harold called unapologetically, "O'Hell", as inevitably every overseas trip he would end up having a bit of a hassle getting out of Chicago. This was also the case for Paris as what should have been a simple two-hour layover turned into an unexpected overnight in the Windy City due to a hailstorm and almost-tornado which had affected Chicagoland enough to shut down her flight back to Bradley for the night.

The blonde at least was thankful that she was able to stay at the landmark Hilton surrounded by the airport, with more than enough money to boot. If there was one racket she wanted to get into, it was Chilton graduation. If she had gotten into Harvard she wouldn't have had the entirety of Hartford society feeling sorry for her and offering their sympathies to her, in the form of cold, hard cash.

Matron after scion offered her their congrats...then placed envelopes in her hand afterwards. She would tell no one of how proud Richard Gilmore was to see he turned the Gellars into a Yale family with his glowing recommendations of the school, to the tune of a $7,500 non-taxable 'gift' to the girl, knowing somehow he would become the girl's protégé in New Haven in lieu of Rory.

Soon she was happy to not be in Harvard. Although she didn't need the money, she had $35,000 to have the summer of her lifetime, of which only $8,000 had been spent on her Pacific Northwest travels, with airfare, car rental and gas covered by her father completely. The only real outlay so far had been her hotels, but smart Pricelining and negotiations at the desk had brought her costs near to nothing. Her O'Hare hotel stay was covered by her extreme amount of HHonors points saved over the years. So she kicked back hearing the rain against her window on the bed enjoying a delicious and sinful Chicago-style thin crust pizza with everything she loved (and tested her lactose tolerance medication to its limits) delivered by room service, letting the hours go by and making long curls of channel surfing on the room's LCD TV. She huffed as she went through her phone, reading over and over the few messages Lorelai was able to send out from Europe before Rory took over the phone **she** bought for the woman so she didn't have to feel all lonely all summer long.

Paris checked her email to find an email blast from Rory saying they were finally on their way west after leaving Geneva and Switzerland. "We should be in Paris in the next two days," she wrote. "I'm hoping Mom won't drag me around to all the points Audrey Hepburn has ever stepped foot on--"

"Oh, God." She had to stop reading as she knew that Rory loved to go on tangents about Lorelai she sent to her 'friends list' rather than her 'family list', where she could be a little more annoyed than she showed. She didn't understand why she couldn't say these things to Lorelai and voice them out rather than put them in an email. She dreaded the day when she knew there would be a more social way to share things on the Internet, whatever that form would be. She had begun a Friendster account but found it about as awful as she knew it would be, only putting herself on there so no other Paris Gellar could claim to be her.

She kept trying to look for an email to Lorelai, but to no avail. She knew the woman missed her horribly, having sent her an email a few days ago while she was in Salt Lake City that about had her in tears, describing how sore her shoulders were and how she 'could really use your incredible hands about now'. Another detail also got to her also.

"Par," she wrote, "I don't know how to say this without being crass, or TMI. Then again, when was I told that anything was TMI? But...I'm lonely. I have my daughter and all of these wonderful people where I am and all I'm thinking is, my next stop is in Paris. The city of lights, of romance and churches and the Seine. I'm going to experience it for the first time in my life...but only with my daughter. Just my luck that I have nobody there to share it because I can't do anything right in a relationship."

She continued, "And I have not had a moment to myself outside of the rare private shower I can get. Not one. I'm at my wit's end here looking for a place to have a moment to myself. I really wish I was at that little house at the Manor with you, or in your bedroom. I'm tired of some idiot leering over my boobs in the shower, of having to strategize to make sure I don't bump into Rory. I'm frustrated, deeply frustrated at having all of these hostels and rooms at fleabag hotels and not having a night to myself. I...I hate it."

Paris kept thinking of it as it seemed that the hotel's pay-per-view section was deeply French-centric for some reason that night. _An American in Paris_ , _April in Paris_ , _An American Werewolf in Paris_ , and finally _Moulin Rouge_. She settled on the final one and watched it, beginning to watch the overly stylized musical and enjoying it, but suddenly felt something was missing. She went through half the movie watching the adventures of Christian and Satine before she finally figured it out as she realized the film was sort of grating on her.

It felt odd to make her observations without anyone to bounce them off of. She had shared many a movie with the Gilmores and although she eventually got used to the fact she would never watch a movie in silence with them successfully, much to her annoyance, she found that watching a ridiculous film without having Lorelai imitate Nicole Kidman's voice as a southern belle was so just not the same. She couldn't riff as easily all by her lonesome and pouted through the remainder of the film, finding it quite empty as she began to realize she missed Lorelai all over again.

Soon she was getting herself ready for bed for the late afternoon flight back home, but couldn't stop thinking about Lorelai at all. Her dreams were filled with that last evening with the innkeeper. She tossed and turned in the unfamiliar bed, groaning as she couldn't find her place in the bed. She was also sexually frustrated and despite images of Lorelai in the nude and talking guiding her, she was unable to bring herself anywhere near an orgasm and felt cranky, finally waking at eight after the worst sleep of her life for a quick breakfast before heading across the way for United's Terminal 1.

Or so she thought. Somehow she soon realized she had hopped the wrong shuttle and ended up in front of the international Terminal 5 instead, a fact she couldn't really argue with the operator as she was so distracted to confuse a one with a five character on the bus's front display. But she still had more than four hours for her flight so she decided to walk around for the next hour until she had to go over. Walking around with her luggage she browsed around the duty-free shop, passing the time and just keeping to herself.

She found the electronics display and took a deep breath to herself, looking around at the new iPods, remembering that her first-gen model wasn't doing too well battery-wise and hearing the new model did much better. She examined the display and played with the display model, looking at it carefully and wondering if she would take the plunge and buy one while it was on her mind.

"Hello, are you interested in this product?" The salesgirl came around the counter and Paris nodded. "I have one and I really love it."

"I have the first." She examined the display model closely. "How much are you asking for this?" The woman told her the price and she winced at the $500 price tag at first.

"Hmm..." Paris took a breath and considered everything. "Could I sync it up with my laptop right away? I don't want to have to go without music for too long."

"Of course you can." She looked at it a little more and took an unsteady breath before the salesgirl asked if she did want to buy it.

"Well, I suppose I should. I've worn out my Bangles playlist to death all summer out west." She nodded. "The 30 gig model then."

"Excellent choice." The young African-American woman brought out one of the black boxes. "Would you like this wrapped with a gift tag?"

"Well..." Suddenly she brought her mind back to Lorelai when she heard the word 'gift', recalling how she intended to give the woman the cell phone and how she was disappointed that it was taken away from her. What was supposed to be something to keep them close wasn't hers anymore. She also knew the woman loved listening to music. So much music...

But the big problem was she had to borrow her daughter's iPod to do so, and she had to constantly shuffle through some tunes she didn't like. She remembered one study night where the woman groaned at having to listen to the Distillers, Hoobastank and Default. Or as Lorelai called them, 'too lazy to come up with a band name'.

She had an idea pop up in her mind. "Actually...let's do two. One for me, one for...another person, wrapped."

"Two gift tags?" The clerk was confused. "Why would you--"

Paris shook her head. "No..." A smirk. "Two 30 gigs. About $1,100, right?"

"Two? Are you sure?" The clerk was flabbergasted as the girl reached into her purse to pull out eleven $100 bills, one more to account for Illinois and Chicago's sales taxes.

"I really am." The woman was impressed and nodded as she got out a second box from the display and then hashed out the details of the gift wrap, which Paris chose a red and gold leaf pattern. The woman wrapped the box in the back, doing an impeccable job of doing so, and then came back out to finish the transaction.

"Also, who is this being gifted to?" she wondered, bringing out a gift tag to lace onto the ribbon.

"To Lor," she said. "Because you put a song in my heart. Love, P." The woman raised her eyebrow up at the name.

"Lor? As in female?" Paris nodded as the woman impeccably wrote out Paris's gift tag in script. "You must really love this woman."

"I do," she admitted with a hitch in her throat. "She's overseas right now."

"Ahh, so you're going over there to surprise her." A knowing glance. "I see."

"Actually I was--" Paris was about to tell her the truth when suddenly the wheels went into motion.

 _I'm in the international terminal_ , she reminded herself. _Of course she would say that. But what **is** in Hartford for me right now? Besides Madeline and Louise awaiting my return so they can throw a pool party? _She pursed her lips as she thought of exactly what she had to do in Hartford.

Paris came up with nothing. Absolutely nothing. Sure, there was her mother, but even she was relieved to be free of her daughter for the first time since 1984 for an entire summer. Sharon had planned out plenty of fun with her new boytoy and Paris wasn't about to spend the entire summer watching them make googly eyes at each other. The reunion with the family was still a couple weeks out. She didn't even have to be at Yale until mid-August.

She suddenly built up an idea in her mind. She could catch her connector to Hartford and move on with life. But her being Paris Gellar and almost a Girl Scout, she was always prepared.

Her passport was always in the front pouch of her carry-on. She didn't care if she was going to make a sudden trip to Lansing, Michigan; whenever she traveled she had it, lest some air marshal have an assumption she was from the Ukraine. All of her clothes were already washed and she had packed light to begin with so she didn't have to spend a lot of time at the hotel in the laundry room, with the rest of her unneeded luggage already sent via Fed Ex from Salt Lake City to the Manor.

There was only one obstacle, and only one; timing. If Lorelai was on her way to Paris at this moment, surely she would be there in the next day, and she knew which hostel the woman was staying at, the one just a mile outside the Boulevard Périphérique.

A plan was developing. All she needed was a quick stop at the airport club for some information, and to figure out a few other things.

She stopped herself mid-sentence and revised her statement.

"I was on my way to Paris. As of now. Yeah, I just have to buy my ticket and see her." She smiled, though her mind was telling her she was crazy. _PARIS, A TICKET TO PARIS AT THIS POINT IS $3,000! ONE WAY! AND MAYBE MORE! ARE YOU INSANE?!_

 __"A romantic, are we?" Paris nodded as she had the purchase bagged up. "Well, enjoy Paris..." She paused herself. "Actually, you know what, I refuse to make that pun because I'm sure it's been made a million times before. Enjoy Paris, Ms. Gellar."

The blonde chuckled, happy that for once there was one person in the world who enjoyed the 'Paris in Paris' alliteration too much. "Thank you." She brought out another couple of bills. "And for giving me such a great idea, have a Lou Malnotti's on me?"

The woman was shocked by the $40 tip she never would usually accept. "Ma'am, I can't--"

"I know, this isn't a tip job, but please, take it..." she read the woman's name tag, "Angela?"

Finally, the clerk relented and took the money. "This tip did not happen."

"It did not," she grabbed a piece of paper to write down her cell phone number, "and if your boss said it did, you can have him call me to verify it." The women said their goodbyes and Paris put her newly purchased iPod for Lorelai in her luggage and hers in her carry-on, sitting down on a bench and taking a few breaths as she considered her plan.

Which was crazy. Completely crazy. She wasn't going to get any kind of Priceline fare; this was full-freight and quite expensive, with money she planned to use for dorm decoration. She also had a few calls to make in three hours.

Soon though after a little bit of research that told her to expect to have a mini-stroke when the dollar figure was delivered, she had gathered her thoughts and her passport and had stepped forward in the line at Air France to catch the 5:10pm to de Gaulle. She knew there was no way she would get a refund for the flight to Hartford, but her father would understand for sure.

Ten minutes later, she had stepped forward at the ticket counter with her credit card ready to go, and said the words only somebody in love would in such a situation.

"Round trip to Paris, one week," she said shakily. "Back to JFK with a connection to BDL on a codeshare." The man at the counter typed in the information she needed.

"We have an opening in first class this afternoon, ma'am, an empty row." She prepared to recoil at the price, which was higher than her original thought could have ever anticipated. "$4,578. Return would be $3,754 to Kennedy with the connection to Hartford on Delta."

Paris nodded, remembering all the advice from her father. "Any way you could get me a room?" The man nodded, crunching some more numbers and looking over more things until...

"I can get you a deluxe at the Crillon for...$5,800 for a seven day/six night. It's in _Place de la Concorde_ and close to everything. You make this reservation and we'll provide car service from de Gaulle to the hotel."

The young woman considered what she was spending. She knew she was about to blow through $20,000 in no time flat, probably more. But as she went through everything she knew that it would all reset the next month. Her father was providing a generous living allowance and had been shocked she hadn't spent a lot on the trip.

"Deluxe, is it?"

"It's about the best rate I can get for a good hotel. Somehow you don't look like you're going for just business, and considering you're willing to go last minute from a city you're not usually in you won't get a better price ala carte. Everything is included, along with room outlays and concierge."

"And you're just a ticket agent, I know." She sighed, looking at her AMEX, the silver Centurion figure on the titanium wafer that was her Black Card taunting her to go for it. "Well..." She nervously handed it over. "Fuck it, this better be the best damned hotel and flight ever." The man took the card and her details and after fifteen minutes everything was taken care of. She had her ticket, and an entire week in the namesake city she was conceived in.

" _Bon voyage, demoiselle,_ " he told her, and soon she was waiting out the remaining few hours in the United States in the executive club, doing her research on an internet terminal and making sure that everything would be all set when she landed. Her hands shook as she went over the information and made the calls she needed, including to her father, who had just landed in Shanghai.

"Wait...you're flying to Paris?" He was a bit flummoxed. "What happened to relaxing in Hartford?"

"Nothing...just felt the need to travel and splurge on myself," she said. "Just call it my lost summer, I guess."

"Oh, dear." He laughed over the phone. "At least I know where to find you though and you're not off chasing some guy all over the Continent."

 _If you only knew, Daddy..._ "Are you really OK with this though? I know I'm not often this rash but I need to do it. I need to get out for at least a week, and--"

"Honey, you had the roughest year of your life. Harvard threw you on your ass, which I will never forgive them for, that jerk dumped you and you didn't get valedictorian? You deserve a long trip away from home for fun." He did give her a warning though. "Do you have any lined notebooks or pencils with you?"

"No?"

"Good! Don't get anything educational done in Paris at all, I beg of you! Have fun, lots of it, and if you lose a few brain cells, that's fine!" He began to pump up his daughter for her sudden trip. "One other thing though?"

"I know, Daddy." She rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what was about to be said. "We don't need a Paris the Second arriving in nine months. I shall not fall for the charms of a Frenchman, I promise you."

"That's all that I ask of you, Sweet Pea." She smiled as he said his goodbyes. "Tell your mother when you call her that I didn't encourage you to go."

"No, this was all me being impulsive, I promise." She hung up with her father and talked to her mother, who surprisingly was quite fine with it, as Sharon glowed about her new boyfriend and what they would do with their extra free week without her. Paris tuned most of it out for her own personal sanity and felt deeply calm as she hung up and looked up a few more things on her Mac while she had the connection to the Internet. The blonde did all she could to make things perfect before she got there, and called the hotel to confirm everything, along with an additional call to get everything rolling in the first place.

Within a few hours instead of being in the tiny regional jet cabin she was used to, she was in first class on the next Air France flight to Paris without anybody in her row and flight attendants giving her endless Diet Cokes. She shook her legs nervously and wondered if this was either going to be the best idea she ever had, or one of the dumbest and most expensive mistakes of her life.

A few hours later, comfy in her complimentary slippers and with her fresh new iPod fully synced with her computer as she looked on through the mostly quiet cabin, she smiled to herself, knowing she had already had the vacation of a lifetime that took her from the American West and back to what she considered in a sense to be 'home', where she first came to be.

Hopefully she could also come back home with memories of time spent with a certain innkeeper.

As Paris's flight made its final approach in the late French evening, Lorelai was about to catch the cramped bus with her daughter to Paris for the trip that would get them in by the morning, unaware that a change in her itinerary was about to happen...  


* * *

Lorelai felt odd as she entered St. Christopher's Hostel. It was a building that literally looked like it was made of popsicle sticks, although she knew it didn't look like it from the inside. Compared to some of the older buildings she and Rory had stayed at in their travels, it seemed more modern, although she was still going to be stuck with the usual top bunk and shared bathroom facilities of all the other hostels she had stayed at over the last month or so. About the only good thing about her accommodations was that she had convinced Rory not to arrive until after Bastille Day so it wouldn't be crowded with too many people.

She expected Paris to be just as controlling an experience by Rory, who was determined to stick by Lonely Planet and Fodor's no matter how much she wanted to explore. They'd go to the same places as every other tourist would and with a tour guide who would watch them like a hawk. The younger Gilmore was still annoyed by her mother bringing them off track by a half-hour by lingering at the Berlin Wall three weeks back.

"I can't wait to get a shower in," she observed as they walked in, while Rory immediately was eyeing up the Internet station set up within the lobby. "Rory?"

"Oh...oh yeah, shower." The girl looked at the station and knew she had a chat with Jess coming up in a couple hours she was looking forward to, and Lorelai could tell that she was going to be stuck trying to find something to watch on the five channels she knew too well from _National Lampoon's European Vacation_. She could only hope that the accommodations were at least slightly better than those of the Griswolds.

The two women went up to the registration desk and Lorelai got out her passport and ID card to register her and Rory in. The woman at the desk looked through a few notes on her desk before she had a sudden look of recognition.

"Gilmore?" The women nodded at the accent of the young woman. "Lorelai?"

"Yes." She nodded. "So, what is our room?"

"Actually, I have a note here," she said. "We don't usually receive memos for expected hostel guests but the person on the other end suggested this was urgent." The innkeeper's ears perked up. "It is apparently from a...So-key St. James?"

"My best friend?" Lorelai was worried now. "Shoot, what's going on?"

"According to the note it is about something involving financing of an inn and a possible partner?"

"Partner?" Lorelai hadn't heard from Sookie about anything except Davey and Martha and was surprised. "As in finance partner?"

"I'm not sure. The note asks you to make your way to the _Hôtel de Crillon_ for a meeting over teleconference and to bring your phone with you, and that the meeting may be five hours so Rory will likely be uninterested in waiting." The clerk handed over the note to Lorelai, who read it herself and felt suddenly troubled.

"Uggh, probably one of those people I outbid asking me to consider a new offer. This may get ugly." Lorelai could already feel her mood plunging as she was stuck with business on her first night in Paris. She gave Rory an apologetic look. "You don't want to come I assume?"

"I don't even know what this is about," she admitted. "I should probably stay close here in case Grandma contacts us in a chat, she wanted to know when we got into town."

"Yeah..." Lorelai sighed, feeling apologetic. "We'll have our day tomorrow, I suppose. I have to go take care of this." She handed Rory her bag. "Probably not going to need this, but I do need the phone."

"I wonder why they told you to keep the phone on hand." Confused about the request the younger woman handed over the cell phone to Lorelai and she put it in her jeans pocket after taking her small purse with her passport and other items out of the big bag. "Are you sure it's going to take that long? Maybe you'll get out early."

"I'm not sure, kiddo. I'll try, but I can't make any promises." She looked at the remainder of the note and found something peculiar at the end. "Hmm, it says here I'm supposed to call for a car at this number to get to the hotel?"

"Mom, are you sure this isn't some kind of odd kidnapping plot? What if--"

"No, they probably are thinking of everything to get me there. Maybe this business person is kissing my butt. I'm not sure." Soon she was on the phone with the car service, which told her to be out front in five minutes. Rory hugged her mother goodbye in the lobby to bring their bags upstairs as the woman headed out to wait for the car where she was told. She waited at the curb feeling totally like an unsure tourist, wondering if she was about to end up in some weird espionage thriller suddenly. "Oooh, maybe I could be Jane Bond and take out Dr. No," she quipped to herself just as the car pulled up, expecting a very cheap taxi.

However, she was surprised. The sign in the window said 'Gilmore', but the car was certainly not just an average taxi. A sleek black XJ8 pulled up with a chauffeur coming out of the car and immediately opening the door for her.

"Madame Gilmore, I assume," the friendly older man wondered, speaking heavily accented English. "I was hired to drive you to the Crillon for your meeting. We must make haste, you must be there within the half-hour."

"Uhhh, OK." The woman laughed nervously. "You're sure? I...I can just catch a cab--"

"Nonsense. I was personally asked to bring you there." He helped Lorelai into the car and she crossed her legs demurely as she slid into the backseat. "It should not be very long at all. Relax, madame. There is a bottle of mineral water in the console on ice to calm your nerves." She looked over to indeed find across from her a chiller with a waiting bottle of something that definitely wasn't Perrier or anything she had remembered back in the States.

Soon the brunette was settled in and looking at the sights of the city as the driver took the scenic route to their destination along the Seine's _Rive Droite_ , looking out towards the landmarks such as Notre Dame, and the Tower in the distance. She sipped slowly on her water wondering if she should give Sookie a call. But the tourist in her wanted her to enjoy the ride over to this 'Crillon' place, whatever it was. _It's probably one of those ultra-boring places with glass and steel all over the place_ , she thought to herself. _It's a hotel. It's antiseptic and dull and probably meant for some business traveler who never wants to leave a three-square block radius while they acquire Croatian Ingots and Potash from Amalgamated Platinum_.

The tall innkeeper felt frustration at being kept away from her daughter for some boring teleconference, probably looking about as silly as possible in a blue Old Navy logo shirt paired with one of her oldest pairs of Calvin Klein jeans, which she had only been able to afford ten years before when she was bumped up to assistant manager at the Independence. She felt silly, but packing one of her power suits wasn't exactly on her packing list for a European backpacking trip.

Lorelai kept asking the chauffeur about the various landmarks they were passing and the man patiently explained their stories all the way to the hotel, surprising Lorelai with his calmness as she had assumed she had to be quiet and not ask questions at all, as the French stereotypes Trix had hammered into her when she was younger suggested were true. She was able to carry a full conversation with him and hated that the ride would be so short.

Soon the man had made the last of the turns up the _Place de la Concorde_ until arriving in front of Lorelai's destination. First however, he had to somehow pull Lorelai out of the car as she looked up at the pre-Revolutionary architecture in front of her. The woman had clearly been expecting the Holiday Inn and received the Ritz-Carlton instead and he knew there was no way she knew what the Crillon was at all.

"Madame Gilmore?" The woman's teeth stuck out as she took it in.

"Sir, I was requested to go to a hotel. Not a government agency building. Where am I?" She shook her head. "I thought I was going to a boring hotel."

"This hotel is hardly 'boring' at all. If you wanted boring, we would have been headed towards the airport area or the West Bank. This is one of the finest hotels in the city and it is an honor to have your teleconference take place here." He took her hand and she got up out of the car to look at her surroundings. "You see where you are, ma'am? Would you rather be at a mere airport hotel than here?"

Lorelai brushed back some hair behind her ear and took in her surroundings. She was in the true heart of the city, so many landmarks around her, with the Luxor Obelisk in front of her, and to her right a small sliver of the Eiffel Tower in her view, and the beginning of the _Champs-Élysées_ in the distance.

The woman was in awe. Truly, whoever was wooing her had quite the resources to do so and she definitely had more to consider in accepting this person's financing. "Oh, no. Of course not." She began to reach into her purse to retrieve her wallet. "OK, so we went about six miles and--"

The chauffeur held up his hand quickly to stop the woman from retrieving a tip. "Madame, I have already been well compensated for making this pickup. I was actually off for this day but the person who made the reservation was quite insistent on a plentiful gratuity. So there is no need for payment." Still, Lorelai reached in for a €20 tip of her own. "Ms. Gilmore, I must insist on refusing your payment."

Lorelai's eyes pleaded with him as she held out the note. "Sir, I have known what it's like to be stiffed, and I don't care what this person has paid. I insist on tipping you." The driver began to wither as he figured that this woman was kind and not willing to leave without any kind of compensation. "You don't even have to keep it if you don't want to, pass it down to a friend or give it to charity. I must insist." After a silent minute, he took the euro note and folded it into his hand.

"If you must insist then," he said kindly, giving her a smile and a tip of his cap. "I shall be by again to pick you up whenever it is requested, and your contact will make that call. Until then." A small bow later he was back in his limousine and after another goodbye between Lorelai and him, he had departed down the road, leaving Lorelai in front of the hotel with nothing on her person besides the clothes on her back, her purse, and of course, her passport. She looked up at the edifice where Marie Antoinette had seen her end.

She shook her head at herself though she was deeply in awe as she entered the hotel's enormous lobby. "What am I getting myself into?" she wondered, talking to herself. "This is so complicated; I don't even know what to think anymore." Lorelai felt as if she was on another planet as she entered the hotel, which even at the front door made the Independence seem like the mere lobby of a Comfort Inn off the 135 in Salina, Kansas. She knew she was severely underdressed and was completely out of place as she saw a couple of professional women in business suits immediately give her disdainful glances at her outfit. All she could do was look down as she made her way to the front desk, hoping she could get to the teleconference center with only minor bruising.

She took a deep breath and rung the bell on the desk to call out the clerk, and after a minute a friendly and slight light black woman by the name of Dominique in the hotel's receptionist uniform came out to greet her.

" _Bonjour, et bienvenue à l'Hôtel de Crillon. Comment puis-je vous aider cet après-midi?_ "

Lorelai cleared her throat, composing a reply in French, so thankful for her French classes she took during business school. " _Bonne après-midi. Je ne sais pas si vous parlez anglais._ "

Dominique perked up. "I do speak English, it is required of all of the employees here." Lorelai let out a relieved breath as the clerk made her feel immediately at ease. "I do say that your French is impeccable, ma'am."

"Well, thanks." She had to turn away for a moment as she felt the clerk's eyes upon her. "Umm, I was told to come here, but I don't know why. I'm...Lorelai Gilmore and there is apparently a person I need to call or talk to?" She noticed the clerk couldn't stop staring at her at all and flustered at how Dominique was looking at her. "Like, there's a teleconference I need to attend?"

"Yes, I was told that you would be coming here." A perky smile as the young woman held up her pointer finger. "If you could stand for a moment, I will return." The clerk departed for the back as Lorelai stumbled in surprise. Expecting to be pointed to where the conference room was she was instead standing at the desk while waiting for Dominique to come back. She began to thump her fingers on the heavy Old World wood surface before becoming distracted by a business card with Dominique's name upon it in raised type. She wondered to herself if the woman had always been so...friendly, with the other guests.

After another couple minutes, Dominique came back from the office behind the counter, holding a couple of boxes she set on the counter as she reached underneath the counter to pull out a keycard she handed over to the woman, then showed her bright teeth with a wide smile.

"Your room key, ma'am," she said. "And I must instruct you to change in the executive restroom before you enter the room." She smiled and looked down at the boxes beneath her. "That was what we were instructed to tell you."

"Ch-change? Room...key?" She held up the card with what was apparently her room number. "I'm sorry, I was here to meet someone for a teleconference. On the telephone. Which neither requires a change of clothing or a hotel suite."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Gilmore. That's what I was instructed to do." She slid over the boxes to the woman. "I know it seems a little odd--"

Lorelai scoffed. "A little odd? I'm being asked to play dress-up for someone on the other side of the pond and go up to a hotel room that's probably costing more than I pay my mortgage in a year. I mean, did you check what was in here? There's probably a stripper's outfit in there!"

Dominique chuckled. "Actually, I do know what's in here. Because I was sent to buy these items and I shall say Ms. Gilmore, whoever is interested in you does have the finest taste I've ever seen."

Lorelai had to stop for a moment. _She was sent to buy these things? No wonder she's giving me a flirty glance; she wants to make sure I fit whatever get-up Mr. Mystery Date has sent me._ With a pursing of her lips, she enquired further. "What...kind of taste may I ask?"

Dominique chuckled in response and put on a smile before she spoke again. "Enough that I must say my gratuity was quite pleasant." She slid over the dark boxes. "The person specifically asked for me to purchase these items rather than the concierge. Said I seemed to have 'that eye for detail'. I was only happy to do it, because I always enjoy shopping for fine things, even if I'm usually unable to afford them for my own purposes." The clerk sighed but kept on her best look as she tried to give her clues. "I'll only say that this person is settled, normal. What they picked up will make you feel comfortable and sensual. I think you will enjoy this."

Lorelai shook her head and let her curls bounce as she took the boxes. "You trust their judgment? But you're just a--"

"I know, a hotel clerk," she demurred. "But I have been one for long enough to find a trusting opinion on situations and persons. You seem to be a kind one and I know whatever this person wants to talk about that you'll be open to it."

"Well..." Lorelai paused as she took it all into consideration. _Guess it can't hurt_ , she thought to herself. _If anything I'm curious to find out what's in these boxes._ She took them against herself and sighed. "I guess I'm...off to the restroom...to change clothes." She sucked slightly on her tongue and took a breath of hesitation. "I mean, whoever bought these things, they were...what it the word I should use for this?"

"Thoughtful?" Dominique provided, with a smile. "They were." Lorelai nodded and asked for directions before making her way to the private suite bathroom reserved only for hotel guests rather than the public one usually directed to for tourists. Closing the door behind her she turned on the light to find herself in front of a vanity she knew cost more than her bathroom at home combined, in front of the mirror as she set the boxes down on a sort of shelf which also functioned as something to lean on when looking in the mirror. It was the first time she had a glance at herself in days. Taking her hand she felt along her face and immediately reeled back, taking in a sigh.

"Damn it," she told herself. "Am I really that tired?" Looking into the glass she saw that she had a few worry marks. Nothing permanent but still enough to concern her, and her eyes were hollowed with darkness, suggesting that she had little sleep in the last few weeks that was comfortable. Looking down she saw that her body was losing its softness, her tall form melting away the fat through the last few weeks during the leanest times where ramen was her only form of nutrition. She didn't know she could come off as so angular at times, so...strong. She was glad to lose some of the weight, though she didn't want to waste away by any means.

Soon she stripped off her dingy t-shirt to wash her face with the soap at the side. Despite the relief she felt with the loss of her worn out shirt, it was undercut by the equally worn out bra she wore underneath it, so stretched out and thin that one of the straps was being held together barely by a safety pin. She shook her head and looked at herself.

"Yeah, I'm really luring them in," she jibed at herself as she took in a deep breath and turned around to open the boxes up, expecting the usual kind of wear meant for a teleconference. If she was lucky they might have spent more than $150 on whatever they picked up for her, but she expected the boxes were just hiding plain clothes designed not to make her look frumpy. The brunette lifted up the top box, not really expecting anything, but was presented with a layer of pink tissue paper instead.

"Okay, so...they decided to make it look a little more presentable." Shrugging her shoulders, Lorelai began to pull away the crinkly paper in layers, rolling her eyes as she got to the fourth layer of paper and tiring of whatever game they were trying to play with her. Soon she had pulled back the last layer...

To reveal a small box. She rolled her eyes. "OK, the nesting dolls bit is getting quite old here!" she commented to herself while opening the box to find more tissue paper. She finished pulling away those layers before finally coming to the first of her gifts.

She lifted them up out of the box and felt a deep fluster color her cheeks. When she was told she was going to change clothes, she didn't expect her entire outfit, down to her underwear.

But now there Lorelai was, holding beautifully crafted lingerie she never expected. The brunette began to worry a little as she dug through everything included within the boxes. She set down the lingerie box to look more in the large box, to reveal something she had always wanted.

Unwrapping the pink tissue paper, her eyes immediately landed on the logo tag on the back of the article.

"Vera Wang," she read to herself, as she lifted the perfect little black dress out of its box. She was beginning to feel surprised as she took in how the outfit went together. French lingerie was paired with the black dress that would go to mid-thigh, with silk stockings covering her legs.

Lorelai began to hyperventilate, in shock as she quickly shucked off her jeans and checked her legs, cursing immediately that there was no way she could wear these clothes without--

Her eyes glanced in the mirror to find that the bathroom did have a shower. A note was laid out for her next to a razor and cream, along with a full-size hotel bottle of shampoo, towel, sponge, and a beauty bar ready for her. She bent down to pick up the note, wondering who would leave all this for her.

The note was typed out however, leaving no clue beyond a cryptic passage.

 _There is no rush, take your time_ , it read. _You've had a long journey, so please, spoil yourself before you grace my presence.  The half-hour timeframe was just to get you here; I will wait as long as need be until you feel ready._

 __Lorelai was getting more curious as the minutes ticked by. This was something she didn't expect, to be spoiled before a meeting and being treated like Princess Grace to look her best to this investor. Although she did find the buildup and purchase of beautiful clothes very odd, she couldn't help but see how far this benefactor would push to impress her beyond compare.

She soon had fully undressed and ended up spending a nice and hot twenty-five private minutes in the shower, the water so much hotter than she had experienced in the communal settings she had become used to. She had not had a good shave in weeks and felt wonderful as she let the grime of traveling through multiple countries slide down the drain. The water opened up her pores, pounded on her back and massaged her from the waterfall jet above, taking out kinks and pain she had felt content to keep until she was back in Connecticut.

The innkeeper closed her eyes and just stood in the shower after finishing her cleansing regimen, knowing she would have to soak all of this in until she was back home in her upstairs bathroom. She felt clean, empowered, back to her old cheerful state rather than feeling all dragged out from all of her miles.

When she got out of the shower she took her time toweling off, found all of the supplies she needed to primp herself and fix her hair, including a hair dryer. She psyched herself up for this big meeting and began to feel prepared for anything. She did her makeup in the mirror with the compact in her purse to hide with foundation and mascara from compacts she had not replaced, worn down to the plastic bottom.

Looking at herself in the mirror sans her hollow eyes after taking her time sliding into the fragile lingerie, she gave herself a little wolf whistle. "Mmm, Lori," she spoke in her husky tone, "you look good enough to eat." A laugh at herself and she was just about finished, smoothing the dress over her curves, which were becoming full of shape and tone.

That left one box still not revealed. Purposefully the box had been wrapped up to hide any signs of a logo and Lorelai shrugged as she opened it, figuring all the money went to the dress.

That is, until on first sight she found herself being greeted, rather by utilitarian pumps, a familiar red trademark she knew she wouldn't be able to afford unless she got a lucky scratch-off. Her hands immediately became clammy upon the sight.

"No...oh God..." She began to hyperventilate. Whoever this interested party was, they were apparently never dissuaded by any kind of price tag. They wanted to help her with the inn and would help her.

At any price.

She touched the five inch Christian Louboutin black pumps as if they were a national treasure, only applying slight pressure with her fingertips as she picked up one of the finely crafted shoes at the back. Her discerning eye took in every detail. The curve of the heel, how the lacquer had been applied, the stitching and details within the inner portion of the shoe. Examining it carefully not a stitch was out of place, nor was there any sign of shoddy craftsmanship. She unwrapped the box further to reveal the prized logo atop of it, suggesting these were bought at the source, within Paris.

No price tag was to be found, but from online research she did to try to snipe a hopefully authentic pair off eBay, she knew the cost was between the high $800's to near $1,400. She had been content with consignment Jimmy Choos and been accepting that she would have to wait a few years to afford even a basic pair of Louboutin heels.

Her closet could attest to how she treated her shoes as her sole luxury. If there was one place Lorelai Gilmore would rather be taken by a zombie horde than voluntarily spend money in, it was a Payless. Her shoes were always where she spent the most money for herself.

"Fucking A," she told herself. "Fucking A...these are real. They're real." She sat down and tried one on, expecting it to feel just loose or tight enough to not fit in a good way. She knew one mistake, one **millimeter** off, and her feet would always be in agony in them. She preferred to be fit for a heel like this, not have someone like this guess her size.

She slid the shoe upon her left foot, fingers crossed and released her hand from the dark surface...

No pressure. No pain. Not a single thing. Just enough wiggle room for her toes. The shoe fit on her foot as if it was poured directly on. The dread she felt was gone.

Whoever bought this outfit knew her. She put on the other shoe. No pain at all. She was scared to even walk on them in fear of ruining their value before reminding herself she was meant to walk in those shoes. She got up. She knew how to walk in heels.

But not in thousand dollar shoes and wearing what she thought was $800 into the dress and what was beneath. She tried to calm herself, doing slow breathing exercises as she cleaned the premises and fit her regular clothes tightly into a plastic bag kept in her purse. Lorelai was growing nervous by the minute as she put everything back in the boxes and looked at herself in the mirror.

She examined herself, feeling all out of sorts. The perfect little black dress stretched over her form, plunging down at the neckline. Flirting the line between conservative and sexy, her breasts were out to play, accentuating the freckling of her chest and framing her breasts in the right way with the help of the flattering lace bra holding her in. She tossed back her hair, which was slightly returning to its naturally curly state, though in large ringlets which cascaded down and created a contrast with the dress.

Lorelai didn't feel like herself. But she loved this. She wanted to feel special. Even If it would be a meeting where she had to break somebody's heart, go it alone, and return the clothes, to even have ten minutes in this outfit was enough for her. She strutted down the hallway back towards the front desk with a confidence she had not known since...

 _Mmm, I feel like I did when Paris and I dirty-talked in the classroom_. A smirk played on her lips as Dominique met her to collect the boxes and handed over the key card.

"Room 652," she told her in her beautiful accent, the Frenchwoman looking over this mysterious American woman who seemed to have the energy of a girl in an anime cartoon. "This look is magnificent! I must have done something right!"

"You...you picked all of this out?" Dominique nodded proudly.

"Not all of it. I had basic guidelines to go through. A nice allowance. In fact, full reign on an American Express card, and I was told money would be no object. I followed them to the letter; basics. No jewelry, as you need not any embellishment." She looked down at Lorelai's heels. "The shoes, I was told that was the crux of everything."

"The crux?" Lorelai scoffed. "I'm going to be on a teleconference and not showing my shoes. They're spending money they'd be better off throwing away."

The woman nodded, but shook her head. "Throwing away? Tell me, mademoiselle, how are you feeling right now?" She held her tongue and let Lorelai chew on her thoughts for a moment before she found her answer.

"To be honest..." She whispered. "Like you're eye-fucking me and giving me all your attention." She thought the employee would be shaken by her observation, but the woman came closer to whisper in her ear, her lower lip barely grazing the lobe.

"That's what I was told to do. Dress you like I was to date you and we were both going to fuck," she intoned, the profanity sparking slight moisture in Lorelai's core. "And if not for this person's interest, you would indeed be seduced by me." Dominique drew away from the confused woman, who felt herself become warm. "Trust me when I say this person you are meeting. They will be touching and adjusting from your overwhelming beauty, Madame Gilmore. They are going to be shocked. And it's all from those wondrous shoes."

Lorelai felt even more emboldened. Dominique was an attractive woman and to have her drooling over her was a high compliment indeed. She gave one last glance to the younger woman and smiled. "Dominique. Are you single?"

The professional clerk nodded. "I am, yes."

A pause. "And what would you consider your orientation to be?" Lorelai knew she was being a bit bold.

"Simply, I do not consider gender in relationships. I have taken both men and women as my lovers equally."

Then Lorelai felt emboldened to do something she would never do with a stranger. Hiking up the bottom of her dress she revealed the upper portion of her leg to Dominique to bare the stocking, she gave the clerk a complete picture of her, as much as she could without violating rules against taking liberties with the hotel staff. She exposed herself in the hall, revealing the suspender garment holding up the stocking, and the briefs, which held a nude front panel.

"That is a good answer." Dominique felt her lips water at the sight, feeling charged that she was being shown nearly the full fruit of her efforts. The normally professional woman gave her a soft little smirk and appreciated the older woman's beauty before Lorelai brought back down her dress and nodded confidently at her. "Now I have someone to impress. Wish me luck?"

Dominique gave her a simple nod. "Good day, ma'am." She turned on her heel and both women headed back to the front of the hotel as if nothing had happened, while Lorelai retrieved the elevator for the ride up and the walk down the hall towards the room she thought she'd be in for no more than two hours.  


* * *

If the woman was nervous, she didn't show it as she slid the keycard into its receptacle to open the door. Turning the knob and opening it up, she expected European high class to assault her senses from the first minute.

She was still in shock that this would take place in a hotel suite rather than a conference center. The woman was curious as to the investor's motives and wondered aloud if this was such a good idea. She pressed her fingers with her temples, careful to walk gingerly in her new shoes, scared to even leave the thinnest of scuffs upon the sole just in case she did have to return them.

Lorelai walked around the room, looking for the telephone. She found it on the nightstand next to the large king-sized bed and found a slip of paper next to the telephone. Opening it up, she found another typed missive in a small card.

_Please dial the number listed._

__The woman sat down on the bed and picked up the receiver, then dialed out the number as instructed. She waited through four rings for someone to pick up, crossing one leg over the other to get more comfortable, the pressing of them against her swollen clit giving her slight relief.

One ring...two rings. She tapped the floor with her foot, hoping she would know what to say.

On the fourth ring, somebody picked up.

"Good afternoon." She was surprised to note that immediately, the voice was of an undetermined sexuality she couldn't trace one way or another.

"Hello." A pause. "This is Lorelai Gilmore. Of Connecticut. I am in Paris right now and I was told to call this number because of a financial investment opportunity?"

"Ahh, yes. Ms. Gilmore. I was expecting your call."

Immediately, Lorelai sensed something was odd. There was something she couldn't really place at all about the voice, which had a deep and even tone to it. "Let's get this out of the way then." She found her words. "I usually get these kinds of calls all the time from finance companies in the States, whether at work or on my personal home telephone. I have funding from the bank and a few friends, so I'm covered. Whatever you might say is going to sound ridiculous, and--"

"You're wearing the clothing provided, are you?" Lorelai's train of that thought was suddenly broken mid-stream as the person on the phone broke in.

"What does that have to do with anything?" She tried to continue. "Now, we were--"

"Tell me you're wearing it!" the voice said firmly.

"I am!" Lorelai scoffed. "Now if we may continue?"

"No." The voice was firm. "You surely do not realize the most important part of this, do you?"

Lorelai shook her head. "I don't even understand anything about this. You're giving me this proposition and you're acting like I need to have an indecent proposal. I'll have you know right now I'm not Demi Moore and I don't have a--"

"Ms. Gilmore, please look to your left. You apparently missed one of the required steps." Lorelai looked over onto the bed and found in the middle of a pillow was an envelope with her name upon it.

Lorelai lifted it up and held it in her hands. "OK, another envelope. You know, for wanting to provide me funding you're making more paperwork than the IRS."

"In that envelope, that is your pass to the Eiffel Tower. In an hour you will head there--"

Lorelai scoffed. "I hardly think so. This is getting to be too complicated and complex."

"I am not finished," the voice told her. "The reason you need that pass is that reservations have been made for you at _Le Jules Verne_ to discuss our business. The reservation has been made so they will be aware of your arrival."

Lorelai's eyes lit up wide. "I don't know that I can do this at all. It seems silly--"

The voice cut her off. "It won't be silly at the end of the night. Until later, Lorelai." She heard the line click, followed by the dial tone as she tried to speak to the voice further.

"Hello, hello? _Parle vous francaise?_ " Nothing back. Frustrated, she slammed the handset back onto the phone cradle and began to think there was someone mocking her from afar. She wrinkled her forehead and shook her head.

"It's not cute anymore," she told herself. Opening up the envelope she found the pass, along with information and a reminder to be at the restaurant at 7pm. _Be ready to go with the car in front at 6:30. In the meantime, feel free to partake of the mini-bar without worry._ She looked towards the other side of room. "Sure, you'd want me to attack the mini-bar," she said, as if taunting the unknown voice. "That way you can ply me with your silly upside-down deal later." She walked over anyways, practicing putting a deep sway into her walk as she felt her courage build up. She checked the time on the clock on the nightstand reading 17:35 and scoffed. "But the hell I'm gonna turn down a free drink." With a smirk she dug into the fine French goodies and alcohol she found on and in the fridge of the mini-bar, amazed at what she found and just letting herself get into what she thought was the fun part of the night.

Lorelai drank only enough to find herself plenty buzzed and hopeful dinner would make up for the rest of it. Leaving the hotel room after a little time with Sky News, she hoped that this business deal would be painless to deal with. The heels began to acclimate to her feet and as she sighted the car waiting to whisk her to the Tower, she did feel one regret about Paris not being here to help her through all of these annoying things.

 _So much for a rest night_ , she thought to herself. Before calling Rory to tell her she'd be longer, Lorelai knew it was already going to be a long night. At least the one time Emily talked her into going to a timeshare breakfast in Hartford there was an easily mockable film and the opportunity to belittle the salesman before turning him down.

Here, there was no way to easily turn down a free meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

She could only hope she could stomach whatever proposal was offered so she could actually eat said meal.  


* * *

Paris felt deeply nervous.

Scratch that, she was a wreck. Since landing at de Gaulle and making so many plans under the cover of a businessperson, she was wondering how she had to make things so complicated.

Looking out the window as she sat down to await her princess, she sighed. "Why couldn't I just surprise her at the hotel?" she asked to herself, knowing she denied herself two more hours with her beloved.

But she knew exactly why. She had seen Lorelai spoiled by Max, but in the way he wanted. The yellow daisies were just an off-hand thing, but he had managed to make it so overwhelming by buying out all of the flower shops in Hartford. The one thing Lorelai never realized about her thousand yellow daisies was that there were about 100 pissed off people in Hartford that couldn't get daisies until mid-June. A florist in town actually paid Nanna Gellar a good amount of money to harvest daisies from the Manor garden to fulfill the demand for the flower.

She had to be elaborate in getting Lorelai someplace, but when it came down to everything, that's when she had to be simple.

Paris knew Lorelai frowned on luxury. She could tell by how the woman mended her clothes rather than bought new all that much. Going over her thoughts the last few years she now knew for sure her sneaking suspicion that the odd bumps along Lorelai's shoulders and near the top of her bust weren't random large stitches, but the outline of safety pins used to hold a couple of her favorite bras together.

 _Not that I had been looking at her bra_ , she scolded herself upon realization as she came up with her plan after checking in. _Okay, maybe I did. A little. Just to compare if I was accentuating right compared to her, that's all. I mean, I have small Madeline with her water bras and then Louise, who put hers out the wrong way. And no way I compare mine to Rory's_.

It also wasn't her fault that sometimes Lorelai just loved pissing off the big parents meetings by wearing a bra that could be seen beneath her shirt, usually of a darker color. On her second thoughts away from Chilton, Paris was beginning to learn something about the innkeeper her psyche had blocked out to keep her in _Le Pitbull_ mode;

Her crush on Lorelai Gilmore was silent and came to a head when they counted the money. Also, the first day they met in that hallway there would never be getting the woman's outfit that morning out of her mind. A _Dukes of Hazzard_ marathon she caught in a hotel in Pocatello had since haunted her dream arsenal with the replacement of Catherine Bach with Lorelai Gilmore as a certain Ms. Duke.

The plan seemed to come together in a rush of activity. Thankful she had a deep bank account filled with allowances and inheritances that collected deep interest over the years, she was able to figure out how to get Lorelai to come to her rather than working around trying to meet the woman with Rory and never getting time for anything but a snuck moment in a bathroom.

She _wanted_ Lorelai in that moment, not a girl who was beginning to regard her as a distant memory only to be met in ten years at the reunion.

But if there was one thing she was thankful for, it was that Dominique had quickly proven to impress her. She somehow knew the clerk would only be too happy to help her and before she checked in, sighted her from across the room and knew she'd have to turn on her charm. Her flawless French and lay of the land, not to mention a good glance at her goods thanks to a hastily unbuttoned blouse which met right at the bow of her bra, assured Paris she had an immediate ally and could concentrate more on the trap, while Dominique would help her with the lure by getting everything she had gathered on her list made on the plane.

"I shall help you however I can; anything for you, ma'am," she promised. The blonde was a slight bit unnerved at how blatant Dominique was with her, but she couldn't question the loyalty of the young woman.

She closed her eyes, hoping the woman helped get everything right for Lorelai. Everything came together with her help; the secretive plan to get her to the Tower, the choice in clothing Dominique chose for Lorelai...the Air France agent at O'Hare couldn't have sold the Deluxe plan any worse, but Paris was now thankful she got it.

Paris sighed though, knowing this could easily backfire somehow. Her guise of being a brusque opportunist could easily throw Lorelai off so much she could be cursed at and nothing would happen until August, the trip being in vain to reunite with her lover.

 _I can't think that way_ , she thought to herself. There would be nothing she could do as she sat in a room off to the side of the small suite overlooking the city where she would await Lorelai's arrival. She had been there for a half hour, taking advantage of the liberal drinking laws of her vacation destination by slowly sipping a rather young glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Laying in wait, she tried to imagine all she did to melt down Lorelai's defenses.

Truthfully she had become worried for her lover, as the tone of her emails had decreased in excitement since a Rory-mandated tour of Munich turned into what felt a death march while the girl seemed to be oddly excited about tracing the path of the horrible events that occurred during the 1972 Summer Games. Lorelai made an observation that night that she felt like a 'serial killer groupie' rather than a neutral tourist that day.

"I really hate my razor too," she wrote. "It's too dull to actually use, and I get dirty looks when I try to use it in the hostel shower. I have underarm five o'clock shadow for goodness sake! Rory doesn't get bothered because everyone looks at her and thinks she's a 12 year-old kid so they leave her alone. I attempt to take care of my grooming needs and they make me feel like I'm a darned ape."

Ever since that email Paris had sympathized with her woman's struggles in backpacking. But she hadn't been able to really see the effects until Lorelai was finally able to find an internet connection she could use alone and uploaded a two minute long video message meant just for her. Even though Lorelai tried to seem cheery, the blonde could tell it was a front.

"Another day...another awful shower," Lorelai said in a weary tone. "There is literally only five minutes of hot water where I'm staying. I hate complaining, I really do, but...but I feel like I didn't do good research." The woman's hair was hardly sleek anymore, the sheen it usually had replaced with dull and lifeless curls, the life in her cheeks seeming to have faded under the cover of a sunburn. "My feet are blistered as hell, I barely sleep, I get crowded on these coaches which barely allow me to move, and there's no going off the book. Rory can. It's her 'dream trip'."

Paris would remember the ending of the video as she viewed it in a hotel room in Green River, Utah, on a dial-up connection. "The only good thing is the sights I'll remember. What sucks the most is...is that there's this distance between us I wish I could close. Too many miles and..." She sniffed back, trying to hold back some tears. "I'm dirty, I'm tired, and I haven't talked to you in days because my phone apparently is no longer my phone now. I...I miss you."

She slammed her right hand lightly onto the surface of the desk. "I expected this trip to be wonderful, just the two of us exploring. Instead, it's...like I'm a third wheel while Rory gets in chats with Jess and rejects all of my suggestions for off the beaten path excursions. And it takes all I have to hold back on having to stop..." She ran a frustrated finger through her hair. "She has this maddening impersonation of you talking about a fact that I know in your words, you'd make sound wonderful and fascinating, but in her tone, she makes it condescending and in her words, 'wonky'. A word she thought she had to define to me, but I know because I get up on Sundays to catch up on my tapes of _Guiding Light_ and sometimes bump into a political show..." She glanced down at the bottom right hand corner of her terminal screen, where Paris assumed the connection was metered by megabyte and her time was up.

"Shit...have to go. I miss you, and I love you. Take care of yourself on the way to Denver hon; that Divide on 70 is gonna prove your driving skills for sure." The video ended abruptly and Paris wanted nothing more to pull Lorelai somehow back to America, and into her arms. The girl cried lightly a full half-hour after the video, her heart strained while hoping she would see her older lover again.

She was so close now though, calming herself with palm rubs and shaking her leg furiously as she sat at the bar, thankful for a quiet night and a lack of anyone hitting on her. She was still puzzling how Dominique was able to fashion a 'seduction wardrobe' for her even as she shopped for Lorelai with Paris's marching orders.

Paris could admit that she was never a dress girl, yet that was what she was wearing in the restaurant, a pitch black blouse paired with a grey skirt that went more than a few inches above her knee, past the mid-thigh line she demarcated as her absolute height limit for a dress or skirt usually. That was the plan...at least until the hotel clerk kept expressing jealousy at how her legs managed to look so toned and sensual. Though Paris shook her head and denied it, when she tried on the skirt she had to admit that her 'lost summer' had also had a second purpose in finding muscle tone, which managed to flatter her curves deeply without taking away too much of the shape she treasured.

Dominique also suggested to her to keep a few buttons open on the silk top, to better flatter her bust, a piece of advice she wasn't used to, usually hiding her goods. _For Lorelai though, there's always an exception_ , she thought to herself. She put on a small smile, recalling the delicious time she spent in the mirror adjusting her bra straps and position, and the tuck of the blouse until her breast-to-breast symmetry was just even, followed by the ratio of skin exposed to cleavage shown. The hotel clerk could only look on confused as the American college student rambled on about minutia of that type to herself until she felt just perfectly presentable.

Everything picked out by the woman fit the petite girl wonderfully, something which had troubled Paris at first as she was used to having a little bit of looseness in her clothing. But she felt heated as the dark-skinned woman kept giving her further glances and complimenting her, up to and including her freckles as she examined the handiwork of a guest she would hope would regularly utilize the hotel after she heard the young woman's tale of a sudden trip from Denver and across the ocean to chase her love on a whim.

Paris wasn't used to this kind of attention, nor to having others help her attain her goal. But on the way over, she knew a sudden surprise at the hostel would backfire, and Rory would drop her façade and try to block her and Lorelai from any time together. Reading all of her emails to and from Lorelai on her Mac on the flight, she had become even more disappointed that her friendship with the future journalist seemed to become belittling material as Lorelai was powerless to stop it in order to keep her tell in control. She pushed it to the back of her mind, something to handle later, as Lorelai was her only focus at the moment.

She heard the church bells of the city announce it was 7 o'clock, confirming it with her world phone reading 19:00 exactly with a vibration to mark the top of the hour. The student slid out a mirror from her maroon bag one last time to check herself, making sure nothing was off as she emptied the last of her wine.

"You did this at the Manor," she reminded herself. "Got yourself down, but then had the most amazing night of your life." She made sure the bartender wasn't eyeing her self-speech as she psyched herself up for the revelation portion of the entire plan. "You want to win. You're going to win. Remember, you have done more to prepare her for a date than most men would ever do. You're also giving her a break."

The Jewish woman pursed her lips one more time, a head-shaking glance at the room as she slid a hand at the waist of her skirt to adjust the lingerie beneath it just perfectly to prevent any slippage of the material. Her lip stain was applied perfectly and precisely, finessed by one of Francisca's female cousins as the woman suggested improvements to her makeup regimen during her time in Boise. The light pink coloring glossed at a perfect, yet not overpowering level for her, still showing her natural color, but shielding some of the damage done by a long near cross-country trip without easy access to cosmetics. She took a couple of breaths, trying to get comfortable in her skin and she figured out her next move, glancing into the mirror at the bar towards the table she would have Lorelai sit at. The area was private, a deep booth-like structure one on one side shielding off most intrusions and only truly visible by the wait staff.

She took a glance over to the right and found in the reflection a familiar tall form turned around as a waiter guided them to the table. There was too much dinner conversation to discern any conversation, but there was no doubt whom it could be as she could recall from memory the outline of the back of the woman's legs as she sat down. She clenched a fist and massaged her thumb, closing her eyes to build up her concentration and will.

"This is it," she told herself. "Let her down slowly, then build her up like you did that night," she told herself. "You can't let your anger over how Rory's treated her come out right away. We talk, then we ease into the hard stuff..."

The bartender directed his attention at the strange American girl, continuing to wipe a glass clean as he made an observation. "You know, you should just head over. Do it. Don't sugar coat."

Paris rolled her eyes at the man, sliding out a €20 note from her wallet and giving it to the man. "It's easy for you," she suggested with a huff. "Look at you, you probably get all the ladies?" The man nodded slightly. "Well, you have to know how to woo them. That's my plan, sir." Getting up, she blatantly stuck out her chest slightly to give the worker a glance at the goods he would never get. "Meanwhile, until you manage to wake up with a vagina? Don't throw off my game, 'cause you don't know woman-to-woman love." With slitted eyes she turned around as the French bartender realized that a teenage girl had just totally burned him. He winced, knowing it was going to hurt for quite awhile as he decided there was no way the blonde would turn to his charms at all.

She stepped carefully in her own pair of Louboutins, unbelieving that she had been talked into actually wearing heels for this date by her new hotel clerk friend. She had never become comfortable in feminine shoes but held her own as she observed just outside of the room while the waiter lead her beloved into the section. Closing her eyes and saying a silent prayer, she knew this was going to be when her $25,000 gamble was truly going to be tested. One false move and the tenor of the night would be a lot different.

She clasped her phone, scrolling down to Lorelai's entry, while taking out another small device which she used to disguise her voice. Hitting send, she moved the cloaking device towards her mouth, pushing herself against the wall as she waited the three rings until she heard the sound of a phone picking up. _God bless SIM switching and Orange France_ , she said, thankful to get a local French number for only a small pittance, and still able to use her same phone.

"Hello?" She hitched her breath as Lorelai spoke, missing the voice so deeply.

"Close your eyes," she told the woman through her phone and the cloak of the false voice. "Do not open them until I tell you to," she demanded.

"Well aren't you ever-demanding?" the brunette responded. "This better be it, because if you get into handcuffs--"

"Goodbye." She closed the phone with a satisfying flip, smirking at her little strategy.

"Perfect." Paris could have kind and motherly Lorelai any day of the week. But to get her all riled up and ready for an interesting night was much more fun. With her little trademark smirk she put away her phone, making sure Lorelai's eyes were indeed shut as she got over her flustered feeling after the hang-up before proceeding into the alcove-like space which would be their own private world for hopefully longer than she hoped.  


* * *

_Damn it, I'm letting this idiot get to me!_

__Lorelai was officially flustered. Settling down into the comfortable seat she had been ready to completely turn off her mind, enjoying the food while the odd sounding windbag who was trying to get a stake in her inn would fail to do so, she had just been thrown off once again by the infuriating person who told her to close her eyes. She did so, clenching her fist angrily as she threw her phone lightly onto the tabletop after a curse. _The person sounds male, yet...I hear a feminine tone_ , she argued to herself, still unsure of whether to expect some Continental businessman who would wine and dine her, or some underling who had no idea how to convince her to sign her name on the dotted line. All she knew was that this person was going to get a piece of her mind the moment she could open her eyes and face them.

She felt like the dress was putting too much of her on display, which usually she would love, but in this case it was annoying her. She felt afraid to even bend in different ways in her dress, lest she give a waiter an unknowing glance at her goods. Though she was used to wearing stockings all the time at work, somehow the silk ones she wore felt completely different, much more so than the $5 pairs she picked up from the No Nonsense display at Shop Rite. There was a different and classier feel about them, especially after the thorough grooming she had been able to do in the bathroom suite earlier. Her hair was more controlled than it had been since she ran out of hairspray a few weeks back and she felt like her old confident self again.

Her vision was completely dark as she calmed herself down. After so long on the road and having been through most of Eastern Europe and Germany, it was almost a relief to know London was in sight within the next three weeks before the trip home. She had wished it would be Birmingham instead, but Rory insisted on spending three days in the British capital rather than journeying to the midland city. Lorelai remembered a comment about how they were uncouth or some other insult she blocked out (and might have been describing another part of the country) as her daughter seemed to let out long-held prejudices she was able to hold back for so long.

She had never felt the need to be away from Rory for so long, but it was going to be a relief to see Rory off to Harvard. A taste of life alone with Paris was all she needed to know that what would be her very early 'empty nest' years might not be so bad after all. Suffering in silence Lorelai was determined to make the best of the rest of her vacation, but felt like it wasn't going to work out until she got home and had her three week's break before the renovations at the Dragonfly finally got under way.

Her hearing perked up as she heard what she thought were footsteps coming towards her. Squaring herself up she straightened her dress on her shoulders one last time to firm it up, rolling a loose bit of fabric from just beneath her breasts down until she was able to roll it out from her dress. She wasn't buying what this person was selling, but she wasn't going to make this businessperson forget who they were messing with.

She used all of her available senses to judge the situation. Though she knew she wasn't the smartest cookie, years and years at the Independence and Mia's tutelage had taught her to catch more than visual clues of how to keep a room clean and presentable. She truly only had scent and sound to make her determination, so she listened carefully to find her first impression.

The older woman knew a businessman's gait would be lumbering and commanding, that his steps would be few and imposing, a hard slap of a shoe against the floor surface to make himself known. She had expected certainly that.

Instead, she heard still commanding, yet light steps coming towards her, slight clacks of shoe heels suggesting a sole sound that was more feminine than she expected. Her inner thoughts had warned her to expect a traditional middle-aged man with a classical or casual demeanor to bring her into what they wanted her to do.

She was on red alert. She lifted her left index finger in the air, bending it in, and then out to show her nervousness in a less visual form than another kind of panic. It would be unnoticed by most anyone else in the world, even Rory. If Lorelai had her glasses on she would adjust them up her nose in the same manner.

 _I'm making her nervous_ , Paris thought, biting down on her lip as she noticed the subtle finger wave while beginning to take her seat. She was thankful all was taken care of with the waiter as she took a few more steps, able to delay a call for service at least ten minutes. Still, she felt unsteady on her legs in any way, though somehow she was able to slide in next to the woman. She had to keep her breath steady, afraid any hitch from the tall woman's beauty would throw off the rhythm of everything.

She sat next to Lorelai, sliding in, but keeping a couple feet of distance from her, a slow strategy building. Her eyes wandered down, not noticing anything else until it had one assurance before going forward. A glance low, a hope, a need...

A glint shone back towards her as the slightest bit of light within the dim dining room caught her by surprise. She opened her mouth wide, thinking that there had been no way that the woman had dared to wear it through the entire trip, that she would just wear it in a private setting.

But there it was. The anklet she had given her lover as a final goodbye was there, resting on her stockinged ankle. The girl felt her heart swell at the small bit of emotional heft she was feeling at that moment but quickly bit down upon her lip to hold back.

She was thrown off however. As she struggled to bring herself back into focus, Lorelai was able to sense the body heat nearby and squared her jaw in anticipation for satisfying this brute.

As she was about to deliver a stinging quip about how she was there for dinner and the pitch would be thankfully ignored, she caught two hints that jarred her brain.

The first was surprising and sudden. She could immediately sense with her nose that something was off. Expecting a heavy male fragrance and prepared for that, along with the added scent of aftershave, she had to keep her eyes tightly closed as instead of the scent she was expecting, she recognized the scent of a French lilac perfume she had tried at the Sephora at Westfarms, which she enjoyed but sensed it wasn't the right fragrance for her.

Her memory recalled partaking in her silly tradition of checking the medicine cabinets at every new home she went to, something Rory discouraged. But the most obvious medicine cabinet snoop had been at a certain young woman's house a month before...

Lorelai flustered as she did recall that Paris did indeed own the same perfume she had tried, well used and nearly empty, resting next to a ear medication. _Hold on_ , she scolded herself. _It's probably just a waitress. I mean, they have Sephora here, right? So it's not true..._

 __A second subtle sniff however, opened up alarm bells she had not expected. Her nose through the trip had become more attuned to smells from a distance, especially in rural areas. It was how she could assure herself a bus or train she was on was still relatively clean or new, and told her whether the coffee being offered was finely ground and brewed with care or just thrown in the coffeemaker without a care to whether the brewer was warmed to just the right temperature or all the impurities were filtered from the water used. She was amazed that only a few weeks outside the core of the Northeast Megapolis could improve her sense of smell so deeply.

At first she was ready to dismiss her sense as a red herring. But again she opened up her nostril for a confirming scent.

Lorelai had gone into the situation ready to bargain down this mysterious person on the phone. But suddenly despite her deep tan, she felt like turning white. She suddenly stilled and cursed inwardly.

_No...no...just a coincidence. Clearly, just...it isn't true. No, it isn't..._

__She caught just the slightest note of a strong alcohol, something she only knew from when Sookie had to head to the first aid kit to treat her newest cooking scar to treat it with the rubbing variety. But there was something else she caught in the scent, of scented talc...

Lorelai had to remain still. She refused to confirm who it was next to her. All that went through her head was a reminder from a month before, along with another reminder from a slogan she memorized about not letting anyone see her sweat.

 _It isn't_ , she scolded. _Nope, it is not--_

 __Her thoughts were suddenly broken as the blonde suddenly felt a little pain in her right ankle as her feet acclimated to her shoes. She let out the smallest of noises to state her grimace at the feeling, her mind not tuned to Lorelai's senses being heightened in any way.

"Ohh..." It was whispered out, barely heard over the din of the music. But Lorelai heard it, and as Paris bent down to adjust her heel, Lorelai knew.

Paris did not know. She was still under the assumption that she had been able to pass over everything over her lover.

The brunette next to her felt a swirl of emotions. She knew the gasp, every bit of her time with the teenager who was mature beyond her years seared into her memory. Every touch, scent, taste, and sound had rooted within her, giving her comfort throughout the weeks on the Continent.

Her fingers began to shake slightly and she really did not want to open her eyes, scared that she **was** in some kind of dream and she'd wake up in a spring digging into her ass in some dumpy hostel or camp. The words kept playing in her mind...

_"I have active glands."_

__How she had been able to remember Paris's special anti-perspirant was beyond her comprehension. She hadn't even asked before the night at her house and her mind could not have picked up the scent out of a lineup before that moment.

 _Oh God,_ she thought. _There is no way. No. Fucking. Way. This is not her. Not her. She's just another girl, so much else on her mind. She has no time for me! And come on, here, now? Who would...no. That's just the waitress asking me what kinda wine I want. That's all. That's all..._

 __"That's all..." Lorelai unconsciously spoke the words out loud and felt the walls she had built throughout the summer collapse around her. She wanted to be strong and not let her emotions betray her.

She put fingers to her temple, hoping that the tears wouldn't fall. Paris brought her gaze up after adjusting her shoe, still under the conjecture that Lorelai was expecting the Inn huckster.

What she actually saw though made her heart clench as she heard Lorelai's voice chant "that's all".

Lorelai was going to cry. Her lip was trembling, and though she stuck to having her eyes closed, the girl could tell that tears were forcing from her ducts, ready to roll down her cheeks. Paris could sense it somehow, feeling a connection with the woman.

She took in a deep breath. She didn't know what else to do. _I know she knows_ , she thought to herself, not doubting for a moment that the panic certainly wasn't about her business finances. The little groan had about revealed everything and she clenched her jaw, trying to figure out what to do.

Never before had Paris felt so guilty about a deception, even a romantic one. Her idea of a romantic night in the City of Lights was about to fall apart, and for what? A cockamamie plan to get her lover to a certain place under a business plan?

 _The nostril flare got me_ , she surmised. Although she had applied enough perfume to hide her bare scent, the strong smell of the sterile deodorant had managed to overpower it, and Paris knew that Lorelai had a good nose. _I have to do something..._

 __In a panic, she decided there was only one thing she could do.

"Don't open your eyes," she whispered in the most neutral tone she could come up with, and then settled her left hand atop of Lorelai's, unclenching it and wrapping it around her own. "Don't do it yet." Lorelai reeled at the sudden touch but was still in too much of a state of shock to muster a response. She trembled at the touch as she tightened her eyes to force them closed.

The blonde felt the tips of Lorelai's fingers, remembering the feel of her prints against her, taking in deep and shallow breaths as she felt overwhelmed with emotions. The bookish girl thought it would have been an overly exuberant moment, two lovers happy to see each other again.

Instead, she felt her heart hurt. Wrapping her fingers around Lorelai's, she could tell just by feel the woman had been through a lot since they last met. She settled back against the back of the seating structure, Lorelai's hand in hers, wondering what to do next.

She knew the charade had to be dropped. Dragging the innkeeper any further and using her 'firm voice' was something she couldn't fathom doing any longer. She craned her neck to the left to look at the woman for the first time fully since their last meeting, and felt everything she had held back since she left Hartford for Vancouver fall from her heart.

Paris knew love was a strong emotion that made people do crazy things. She had just laid down what she was sure Lorelai would make this year through her string of odd jobs and insurance payout for the Inn just to be at her side in that moment. Traveled across one continent to be on another on a whim.

Paris Gellar thought she could keep everything in check when she glanced at Lorelai for the first time after the longest near eight weeks of her life, forty-four days without the woman who had changed her life.

But she couldn't. She took in another gasp, the woman's beauty amplified beyond belief. This is how Paris saw her for so long. How she felt in her room at the Inn at the Bracebridge after the kind woman had hovered over her shoulder, taken in her condemnation about the shirts, listened patiently and left a patented one-liner that made her clench at how the Chilton parent could take a line like that and turn her into jelly.

How she was the first person in the world she could trust with her college choice, and helped her come to the decision to leave a relationship that would have lead her down a path to servitude and self-loathing, leaving Princeton after her sophomore year on her husband's insistence to forever define herself by what procedures and weight loss she could get done to look immaculate for her wedding.

She wondered if Lorelai would mind. If she would object, it being too fast, too sudden. Lorelai held back a sob as a sole tear dripped from her right eye and down her cheek, knowing the feel of the hand, the same hand that nursed her ankle. The short nails, worn nature, a small against hers.

"Not...opening eyes," she said to herself. "No...it's a dream." A slight shake of her head, despite all of the signs of this person being who she thought she was. Paris kept staring at her, her cheeks warming as she felt her courage begin to build again.

"Want me to pinch you?" she asked in the pseudo-neutral whisper. She received a hurried nod and proceeded to take some skin on Lorelai's wrist and roll it lightly within her fingers, before causing the synaptic reaction from the pinch, though lighter than usual.

Even through a pinch and the sound of the woman's voice, Lorelai gasped, knowing now this was not a dream, but holding to her promise to not open her eyes until asked. Just by feel, she knew the fingers holding her flesh were those of someone she had known before. They were familiar, and somehow they felt like they were searching, looking for new information upon her flesh.

Paris moved her hand back down, knowing that the next and final confirmation of her presence in Paris was inevitable. If not for her obsessive tracking of Lorelai's progress west she may have missed her by a few days. She expected to be perhaps three days off at minimum. But to be near on target outside of the red-eye arrival into de Gaulle? It still amazed her that she got to Lorelai just in time.

Certainly it would be top-loading the start of the trip for sure and the rest would be a sort of daze as she had five days without the woman, but she was happy to be here, in this moment. From the moment the hostelkeeper had confirmed receipt of her note hours earlier it was a race to this moment, and now it was here.

She looked around the room to make sure no one would interrupt her. It was a Tuesday, about the slowest night of the week for the restaurant and only locals were in the dining room, but on the other side. Nary an obvious tourist was to be found, and the two or three couples in her section were droning on about tourism arrangements or something she decoded as probably some kind of secret affair. She wryly smiled, a little superior that her own secret going-on was AOK with no complications beyond those outside of their little bubble, and no adulterous guilt.

She guided herself closer to Lorelai until only a few slight centimeters kept them apart thigh-to-thigh. She activated her gloss with a little quick sucking action and felt her chest tighten as all the nervous feelings she had for the hotelier arose again. _This is it_ , she told herself. Although the element of surprise was pretty much out the window when Lorelai opened her eyes, she was happy it would come to this result.

Paris searched out Lorelai's body language, looking along her body for any adverse sign of unease. There was none she could find beyond shaky and sweaty fingers, a natural reaction though she did expect. Never had she expected to be the one causing this reaction.

"Eyes are still closed," Lorelai reminded her, toughing it out, but her mind about ready to scramble itself from overheating. "Come on," she beckoned passionately.

"Reveal yourself to me." She said it in a tone Paris knew was sensual only to her. A little bit of a whine with a pout mixed in, but also a small bit of mischief mixed with plenty of romance and longing.

She could not deny her beloved any longer. Her fingers slid up Lorelai's forearm and thankful for the extra room between her and the table, she turned the woman to face her until she was able to touch the tips of their knees together. Paris grinned and stretched herself out as she was thankful that Lorelai's perfume supply had eroded away weeks before, leaving nothing but her bare scent shielded by the light honey scent of the abrasive body wash and the neutral beauty bar she had Dominique supply for her shower. She kept her left hand pressed against Lorelai's right palm, the comfort needed for her as she approached, her breath a little unsteady.

She calmed herself down and closed her own eyes to fall into the moment, wanting to be even with Lorelai as far as reaction. A few more moments and then it was a natural progression as lips touched lips.

The first kiss in over a month was a long, yet simple peck on the lips as Paris flattened out her lips to be even, and Lorelai followed her lead. The blonde went over in her head if she was kissing wrong some way, but soon felt herself guided slightly as Lorelai warmed to the contact.

The dark-haired woman took in a couple gasps in surprise to get used to the feeling all over again. It seemed easy to forget Chris's aggressive kissing style and how Max asked her several times if it was fine to kiss her. But a silent approval and just the perfect amount of lip pressure reminded her why it was the smart heiress who had become the haunter of her dreams.

She instigated the kiss slightly further, giving just a small nip with both of her teeth to give an assurance that she was fine with it. Paris complied and let her emotions release, moving it further as unconsciously the thoughts of her lover having been away so long melted away when she felt her hand being closed in upon and tightened around. The two women became inseparable, falling for each other all over again while the younger woman felt tears coming on unexpectedly.

Soon, they felt their tongues flitting from their mouths to tease, along with some lip pressure. They had yet to say a word in their normal voices, but they both knew. Lorelai's breath came out in harsh pants between kisses as she felt the flat tip of Paris's nose against hers and soon was moving her hand behind her back to...

Be startled. She shuddered as she felt Paris at the level of the middle of her back. She was surprised to not find a tangle of long locks to nest her fingers in, instead, the woman's broad back and the blouse above it. She hastily moved her hand up to find to her relief there was still at least two inches of hair below the nape of her neck and puffed out a bit of relief against her lover. Her breathing began to even as they both calmed down, and the kiss began to slow after some light tongue touches, before Lorelai broke apart apprehensively to catch her breath and recover her bearings.

The two women remained silent for what seemed to be the longest minute, both careful not to heighten the mood towards a direction they didn't want. Lorelai composed herself, thankful to have this rather than a long rambling explanation of why Paris would deceive her. _I don't need it now_ , she thought, sure of her feelings. _It got me here, didn't it?_ She would still say a few things, but at least she had began to calm herself from the "screw you" speech she had planned for an 'investor' who wanted her to parade as if they were a Barbie doll, willing to do anything for their financing.

Paris kept rubbing at Lorelai's fingertips, noticing in the state of her closed eyes she could not feel lacquer upon them, and they were cut close rather than long as usual, a consideration made for the trip. Her mind still reeled from the kiss, licking her lips as she felt that familiar numb tingle she couldn't seem to get over for at least a week after Lorelai departed Boston.

Her nostrils rose up at the recall of how she had missed the stimuli. It reminded her of how Lorelai was hers to explore, and that the woman was an open book with her. Where Jamie overpowered her in bed or whimpered during his light kissing in public, every kiss with the tall Chilton mother brought the same feeling within her soul of perfect symmetry, enough to throw her off completely.

She composed herself with what to say next, hopeful that the woman wouldn't abandon her because of her elaborate wooing. With a calming breath she rested her left thumb in Lorelai's right palm.

"You may open your eyes now," she whispered. Lorelai shivered at the firm, yet soft tone Paris only used with her, and slowly fluttered open her lids, directing herself to where she thought the woman would face her.

The blonde woman was apologetic as her Wonder Woman revealed her sapphire eyes to her for the first time in her presence since she departed the circle in front of the Manor. She held her breath as Lorelai focused her vision, wringing her lids back and forth until she was able to acclimate to the light again.

"I...I'm sorry," she unconsciously said, the apology rushed, yet honest and heartfelt. Lorelai focused on the young woman and though there was that small side of her that added it to the pile of offenses that began with how she didn't like Paris's competitive tactics when Rory started, that area of her mind had shrunk considerably over the years.

Lorelai was taken deeply aback as indeed, she was finally able to confirm with her own eyes that it was Paris who had lured her here. Paris, a girl who years before needed index cards to even start a date, was here. In Paris. Right in front of her.

No bezel around her, or macroblocking, and speech wasn't exchanged after a sound effect. It was her, in the flesh, looking so beguiling and...

_Fuck!_

__After only ten seconds, Lorelai could tell that the girl's Lost Summer had done so much for her physique. A glance up and down confirmed that whatever Paris was doing to tone herself, it was working very well. She smiled as Paris glanced down, feeling like DuPont retention pond water for forming such a deception. Her mahogany eyes were hooded by her lashes, hiding slightly how affected Paris was in her presence.

She finally was able to speak. "It...it is you."

Another minute of silence, as Paris tried to figure out a leading line before just going for it.

"Yeah..." A pause. "So...I'm here."

"You are." Lorelai was just as wordless. "Paris in Paris. Alliterative, kind of silly."

"It is." She felt her leg shaking return and began to wish for a shirt with deep cuffs to play with. "You look really nice tonight."

Lorelai laughed nervously. "You too." She brushed back some hair. "Oh, dear. Umm, if I'm being honest? I'm kinda still in 'expecting a pitch' mode right now," she shared. "Instead I'm looking at you, next to me, and it's not the middle of August. It's mid-July. You're here. In front of me. In the Eiffel Tower about to order dinner."

Paris nodded silently. "I am here. But it's going a bit differently than I thought. I was going with surprise, but--"

"My super-freaky senses detected you," Lorelai said with a slight squeak. "Guess you should've also brought a clothespin to plug up my nose?" The blonde laughed lightly at the quip and crossed over her legs, feeling slightly exposed for not closing them.

"My scent is that unique, isn't it?" The innkeeper nodded back as Paris shrugged. "I guess that's what you get when outlet malls are the only 'fine shopping' east of Seattle and west of Denver."

"Mm-hmm." Lorelai wiggled her fingers before finding another topic to go off of. "Umm, so the hotel room then? I'm going to guess that's not an hour rental and that's actually your room?"

Paris rolled her eyes. "No, Lorelai, I'm living out of my rental car and a sleeping bag." Lorelai giggled at the blonde's attempt at sarcasm falling far short with her. "I have a lot of things to explain, I suppose about this, and--"

"We'll talk about that later." Lorelai stopped her with a loving glance, moving closer to her. "Par, I really don't care how you got here. If you swam the Atlantic, took a machine like the thingy in _Star Trek_ and teleported here, or hell, if you got deported here because technically this is where you did come into being on a drunken night in the spring of '84--" Paris quickly raised up her hand and shook her head furiously.

"Please! Please, no! It was enough my mother had to tell me of it when she gave me the sex talk! I don't want to be reminded of my germination!" Lorelai laughed and went on as she backed off, yet was pleased to get a rise out of her lady.

"OK, OK, no more 'how you came into this world' talk! Promise. But..." She turned serious. "Even if you had done **nothing**. If this wasn't...here. If we were in an airport or bus station McDonalds and I look like a grizzly bear because I haven't shaved well in weeks. I don't care where we are. I...I'm glad...glad you're here." She drummed her fingertips in Paris's palm. "However you came, or got me here, it's already in the past because you did get here, somehow, some way. It's certainly more than anyone...else would ever want to give me.

"I was ready to miss you until August," she confessed. "Just ride it out. Live with it. Nothing matters right now though. There's a big world out there, but right here, it's just us. Our own little circle. Par..." She saw the blonde nod. "We will discuss this later. But I am not mad. There's no need to apologize for misleading me, because that's what you had to do. I had to mislead Rory to get here, but I don't regret it, because now it means I get to spend time with you." She took a sip of water from her glass on the table before continuing. "I...I honestly didn't expect this from you at all. Even as I can barely get any kind of message your way without using a Telex machine right now, I knew you were with me, but I know you have your own life, your own things. You didn't have to come."

"But I did." Paris stopped Lorelai before she could ramp up her protective and independent self-pity. "I did, because the thought of you, isolated like you have been the last month, it does worry me. I hate not hearing from you."

"You did, though--"

"From Rory though," she said. "There's a difference. A large difference. She is deeply cerebral about things, but there's all that distraction with Jess and her dorm plans. Not you. You want to explore. This is your trophy for getting past eighteen years and getting your daughter through. You planned this. And instead of being the trip of your life, it hasn't been that." Lorelai shook her head.

"Par--"

"No, you can't make excuses," she argued. "This trip, this is what you worked your ass off for. It was meant to be a victory lap, but right now to me, on the inside, it doesn't seem that way." The bright woman could see that she was finally getting to Lor's strong side, in hiding for weeks. "You should not have to feel like a third wheel on your own vacation." Even through her makeup and the shower Paris could still see worry colored Lorelai's face. "Oh, God," she gasped, shaking her head. "Lor...how have you been sleeping?"

The woman was silent for a moment, worried about coming apart before they ate. But she knew she had to be truthful about things, about how she wasn't feeling her best at all. "Do...do I look tired?"

"I don't even have to look," Paris stated solemnly. "I can tell by your voice." She winced at the exhausted huff she could hear within it, sad that the little lilt she knew was usually there had not yet appeared. "I saw you were struggling in your videos and through your emails, but seeing you now, I just know." She took in a deep breath, knowing that her night with the brunette had to be more than just an evening to catch up. For Lorelai's sake, it also had to be a mental health night. "When was your last good night?"

Lorelai winced, her body indeed hurting quite a bit, something she was able to hide through will power most of the time. "My body's been...going through actual caffeine withdrawals. I've been budgeting my money and refusing coffee as much as I can because it costs so damned much and I refuse to dip into Rory's money from Grandma to ward off the pain. So I toss and turn a lot in bed and just have these scary feelings that the bedding hasn't been just used for sleeping and it keeps me up." Lorelai rolled up into herself, scared of how Paris would react. "There was also this one bed in Munich with a spring that dug into my ass...I...I tried getting a switch, but the clerk at the hostel...she went off on me and then Rory found out and told me to buck up and sleep away from something...poking..."

"Shhh...hey, hey..." Paris took her into a hug, holding the back of Lorelai's head close against her chest as she closed around the woman with no resistance whatsoever. "Why don't you kill this hostel nonsense and start getting hotels?"

"I've tried!" she shrieked. "I wanted a nice regular hotel for my stay here, but she insisted and tried to tell me it's a nice place and I should be comfortable--"

"You won't!" She rolled her eyes skyward, amazed that her 'best friend' could be so controlling when it was Lorelai who got them to Europe in the first place. "I read reviews online before I came here and I can tell you that for a young person, it's a dream place. A thirty-five year old woman just looking for a bed for the night? You're better off at a homeless shelter. One I read said they didn't get a wink of sleep because of an argument and what they described as 'loud grunts of passion'." She scoffed. "Whatever that is."

"Which I've experienced, unfortunately. Right above me." Lorelai cringed at her next confession. "A guy from Belarus even told me one night before bed that he'd imagine me bent over on all fours, and uh...fulfilled himself to that. Made sure that the peak was very audible. And I couldn't move beds due to lack of room."

Paris couldn't help but feel deep anger that Rory would be so self-centered to keep putting her mother through all of this. It was taking every single bit of Dr. Birnbaum's therapy advice to not haul ass up to St. Christopher's and let her have it. To put Lorelai through this all might as well have been elder abuse, in her opinion, age be damned. Closing her eyes before she went into a rant that would make an extreme sufferer of Tourette's wash their mouth out with soap, she tried to calm herself down...

Just in time, as a waiter came to their table to ask if both women wanted anything to drink. Paris calmed down considerably, knowing a little bit of liquor was just what she needed to calm her nerves. Lorelai ordered a white wine as Paris considered for a moment ordering scotch on the rocks before deciding to share the bottle with her. She was thankful for the tension to have been cut, if just for a little bit as the waiter left and Lorelai noticed her distress, reaching out immediately for her.

"Well, you're getting a good night's sleep tonight, I promise," she whispered softly. "No plastic, no sex above you, and nothing else. We've got a private suite--"

"Paris?" Lorelai perked her head up. "I...I don't know if I can come with you," she said. "I...I was told tonight to give Emily a status update back at the hostel and Rory wants me..." She felt a finger placed to her lips.

"You are going to come with me tonight," she warned kindly. "Enough of hewing to them. Tonight in that bedroom, it's going to be about you. About us. This is why I came here, because I was worried and hurting for you."

"I do appreciate the offer," she said. "I really do. But--"

"OK, that's it!" Paris gave her a firm glance. "Hand me the phone." Lorelai gave her a stare as if Paris had forgotten her medication over the summer.

"What? Par, what are you going to--" She felt the Death Glare upon her and felt a sudden mix of arousal and fear as she reached into her small bag for the device. "Look, don't do anything rash! I don't--"

"Don't worry," Paris gave her an assuring glance as the device was handed over. "What do you have planned tomorrow anyways?"

"Umm..." Lorelai dreaded saying. "Guided tour of the Louvre, guided tour of the Arc de Triomphe...a guided tour of the sites where Diana died and the memorial--"

"I thought this was backpacking, not acting like you won this trip on _Wheel of Fortune_ and stick to the dullest tour a housewife in Zanesville, Ohio will be satisfied with." Paris rolled her eyes. "Rory is really stuck to that guidebook, isn't she?"

Lorelai nodded shakily. "I get the 'mom, that's boooooring' whine when I ask to see anything." Paris placed the phone on the table and brought out her cloaking device. "Whoa, what--"

"Behold, my 'mother's assistant'." She held up the small box which was used to change her voice. "Gotten me out of many a date with a boy when they suddenly get a call from 'her' or 'him' to say that I'm not feeling right or buried in homework. How nobody has caught on in four years is a feat in itself." She looked over the phone, which turned out to be a nice Blackberry with a color screen. "You actually have a better phone than me right now. A bit jealous here, Lor."

"Really, now?" Lorelai smirked as Paris played with it before finding the directory. "I figured I'd need it when I get back because I'm going to be dealing with the contractors non-stop, and I don't want to text on the thing I have now." She giggled. "Keep in mind that this thing will be rhinestoned when I get home."

"Of course it will." She scrolled to Rory's entry and her eyes twinkled as she remembered how Lorelai loved putting her phones in silly cases with loud colors. "Now, keep quiet, otherwise this is never going to work." The tall brunette nodded at her girl's stern gaze as she applied the high-tech device to her mouth near the microphone before Rory picked up. Lorelai couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, so she had to depend on Paris's end to decode everything.

"No, this is the person who made the offer to your mother. Unfortunately I cannot disclose my name due to confidentiality. Yes, even to you." Lorelai was shaking her head; this was how Paris got her here, with that voice. "Your mother is in good hands but there is so much to negotiate, we might need up to two days to hash this out. Even then, there's no guarantee of a deal."

Paris cringed as she could tell Rory was getting defensive after a few more volleys of trying to ask 'permission'. "I apologize on behalf of your mother, but this is the only time this could be done. I know this is the trip of a lifetime but you and Ms. Gilmore will be compensated for the incon--I'm not buying you off!" Paris mouthed 'God give me strength' as she held to her story. "Ma'am, your mother is right here." She closed her fingers around the mic and whispered. "She thinks I want ransom."

Lorelai's eyes widened and she groaned. "I should tell you she watches way too many episodes of _Unsolved Mysteries_." Lorelai took the phone and quickly took charge as for once, Paris was worn out from her deception.

"Rory, really, I'm fine. This all has to be done in private and you're not going to do anything but stare like a zombie as we talk about big numbers and forfeiture agreements." Paris couldn't decode anything on Rory's side just as well off the phone. "I know we had a plan but...no, I didn't plan this, but it's actually turning out to be compelling, really. They have a good plan..." She blanched as she felt her flesh and blood making her feel guilty. "We will do what you want on the last day. Anything, I promise and...yes, I love you too and--" She held back the phone from her ear as she was shocked to hear the hang-up chime. "Wow. Never had that happen before."

"Hmm?"

"She told me she'd just talk to Jess more, enjoy her sights without me and hung up." She shook her head. "Just like that."

Paris shook her head. "This was a bad idea. I...you should go back to her and...I'm sorry." She began to get up from her seat. "I thought I was doing something--" She was caught by Lorelai quickly grabbing her hand. "Lor, no. I fucked up. I knew from the moment I caught the wrong shuttle at O'Hare that this was--"

"It is romantic," she said, holding up her hand and forcing Paris back into the seating. "Look, I know I'm being deeply selfish. I'm not spending time I promised her fourteen years ago. But there's tension, and I need to break it somehow, and this is just the right time. And I'm...I'm still in shock that you are so deeply thoughtful, so concerned for me and just miss me so that you flew out here." Paris looked away as Lorelai patted the top of her hand. "Par..."

"I missed you and I just suddenly had this thought of meeting you here and we could be back to like we were at the Manor, but you're on vacation," she rushed out. "I can't stop a vacation just for my own selfish needs! You could've just dumped the water on me and told me to sit and spin for all I knew, and I...I..." She winced. "I didn't even plan to be here. Honest to God, I didn't, and I know you. You're Lorelai Gilmore, you're happy with eating off fast food collector's china from TV series and Rite Aid and making things last, even if it means safety-pinning your bras together!" She shook her head, suddenly feeling guilt. "You can't be bought off with fancy dresses and sexy heels, and I should've just--"

"Hey there..." She stopped Paris's deep rant with a squeeze of her hand. "Hey, hey..." She tried to quiet the young woman's fears with a kiss to her forehead. "There's a big difference between us back in Connecticut having to sneak around, and here where you've spent who knows what getting here and I'm coming in feeling like utter crap and I'm writing these letters about how much I want you when I just want to be writing freely and doing what I promised. I failed you, miserably. Rory got my phone and Emily controls me through email, exactly what I never intended."

"But how do you feel? You must be freaked out by being here, in this restaurant wearing dressy clothes I bought you and it must make you feel a little creeped out."

"Just...a little. A very little." She shifted her eyes around. "I mean, the whole getting here was a bit James Bondian, but the end result was worth it." She hoped that would calm the blonde student, but knew once Paris got going, it took plenty of calming to stop her.

"You ran away from wealth. Lor, I'm doing the exact thing guys in your life would've done when they were with you. Overspoiling you, using gifts and flying all the way here with literally, only a few sets of clothes and I'm trying to turn you into a Carrie! You're not a Carrie! You don't care about material things!" She lowered her head, feeling that she had overdone her plans.

"You're right," Lorelai assured her, moving a hand against her back. "I usually frown heavily on all of that. I probably ended plenty of dates when I was younger because guys tried it on me." She paused for emphasis. "But..."

Then with a pat of Paris's back, she whispered needed words of calm. "I am not above it at this point in my trip, with my surly attitude, and how much I've been missing you. I haven't seen a familiar face in months. I feel quite a bit lost here, and I did mention that I was in deep need of a shower, right?" She felt a nod. "I'm thankful to just get that, a nice hot one, to myself. Really, that's all I needed. All I needed."

As Paris was about to catch on and try to argue for anything else, Lorelai pecked her cheek lightly and pulled back. "But, I was also tired of feeling like a tourist, bumming around Europe. I haven't felt my peppy self for weeks, nor have I been particularly girly. How can you when you've got hair just coming out of places it hasn't peeked out of since I learned how to shave? I...I've just been pushing through." Lorelai winced, feeling her chest seem to fill with emotion. "So when I got to the hotel and I'm just getting all these nice clothes, I had these thought that perhaps I shouldn't accept them, but something told me to push forward...and I'm glad I did." She sighed. "I did, and I guess in the back of my mind, I knew it was you. Don't know how, don't know why, but when I slipped my feet into the Lou's, that was just a red flag, because a lady doesn't divulge her shoe size."

"I thought that was your weight," Paris said, confused, as Lorelai shook her head with a giggle.

"Oh wise one, you learn never to give out your shoe sizing either. You make the salesman guess and work for the sale, or use the sizer. You never give them your size. Which come to think of it..." She purred, "I never really gave to you."

Paris blushed and slid a little down in her seat, a little embarrassment at her photographic memory betraying her for a moment. "Well, the night you took me in after I dumped Jamie and I needed time to myself..." She nodded nervously. "I slipped out of my gown and then I kinda got curious about the shoe...thing within your closet, so I checked and found the pumps you wore the day we had our moment in the classroom. The number of your size seared into my brain, and then from there...I combined the size of the flirty skirt I stole from you a few years back with that of a dress you had next to the bed, remembered those numbers, and...there we are. Perfect...outfit?" She complimented, hanging the question as she was still unsure her lady was comfortable in her clothes.

Lorelai blushed deeply, loving that the fashion-adverse scholar admitted to closet snooping like any other girl or woman in the world did. She had a feeling, remembering after Paris's departure that a few pairs of her precious shoes were askew in the slanted shoe tree on the bottom of her closet by an inch or so, but she thought her little boom after tripping on the dress shook things. _Apparently not_ , she thought to herself.

"Yes," she whispered, moving closer, one more query still unanswered as she drifted within Paris's personal space. "Perfect outfit." Another brushed kiss against the rose red cheeks of her younger paramour as she made to ask for a secret. "Obviously, you knew my panty size very well though, as much as I do yours, Miss Sexy Undie Trader." She nipped softly against the student's ear, forgetting where she was and feeling the romance of the City of Lights overpowering her senses. "I know I never did give you two numbers though, that you would've never seen otherwise."

Her hand hitched up Paris's right thigh just above the knee, taking in the perfectly nude silk stockings currently encasing the thing she was most jealous of on the smaller woman. "Considering how amazing the girls feel right now, you know my sizing on that front. How?" A pause as her hand drifted up towards the garter holding the surprisingly sensuous young woman in at the bottom, as her eyes were treated to lavish lace below her blouse enticing the tall brunette towards the activities of later. "Then you got my legs right too. How did you know?"

Paris nodded softly as she positioned herself on Lorelai's other side within her own ear. "Stockings were easy enough. I know your height and by memory how you love to show off your legs. I was able to eyeball a measurement and went with that. As for the girls..." She whispered and raised her eyebrow. "Umlauts." She made a sexy little giggle as immediately the annoying teenage nickname suddenly became a sensual private joke between the women.

She explained herself in the form of a theory. "I know your sizing is wrong. Very wrong. You undersize yourself because there's always that need not to outshine your daughter, so you let her have the boast when really, you're more well-rounded." She broke from the woman slightly, eyeing up how the curves of the dress flattered Lorelai's sensually building form. "So you depend on just wearing something you can just adjust depending on how you feel; push them in to feel flirty, open up the straps to have a more professional image. I do know your 'size', but I didn't go off that actual number. I went by touch and feel as we made love, my own observations through the last three years...a few things. The cup size I was a bit iffy on with the exact number, but I think you are definitely a low C for sure. Not that I mind." Her eyes watered at the sight of her tanned lover being completely out there for her to stare at. "I think I did right."

Lorelai nodded, her hands shaking a little as she could take in Paris's scent at its closest epoch that evening. "Par..." she whispered. "You're very good. I think I'm all settled down now too." She slipped her hand into Paris's. "Those eyes...I've missed them hovering me."

"I've missed your blues," the other woman shared. "You're better then?" Lorelai nodded as Paris was finally able to relax herself. "Good. Ever since I got in at four this morning I've been nervous making this all work. I've barely slept since I got sleep on the plane and there was always that chance I did miss you."

This caught Lorelai and she wondered if the girl was up to the rest of the night. "You're going to be OK, I hope."

"Honestly?" She smiled. "If we both collapse into bed and just sleep I don't mind doing that. But I can stay up as long as you need to," she promised with a smile. "I have had on and off rest and a bit of a wind down at the internet café I was at while I gave you time to prepare."

"I should be good too; I was glad for once to get a somewhat empty bus on the way here with a shade." Lorelai began to feel like she was fully comfortable now. "Sooo..." she clasped her hands together. "I guess inviting me here means I can have whatever I want? A nice filling meal with dessert?"

"I am good for the money," the blonde proclaimed. "Order whatever you want off the menu...which is here with our wine." Both women looked up as the waiter approached with the bottle and two glasses, greeting them both kindly and knowing that a great tip would be coming if impeccable service was given this evening. The two women separated for a moment and let the tall man do his work, pouring the wine to halfway up each glass before departing and telling both ladies to take all the time they needed.

The women smiled widely at each other, feeling all the pressures of the summer melt off as they took in the view nearly 400 feet above the city, the first lights beginning to flicker on below through the cityscape. Paris and Lorelai gave each other a long glance as they lifted up their wine glasses, still as could be before offering each other a toast. Lorelai led it off.

"So..." Her little laugh made Paris's heart clench. "This is to...renewal. That we got another shot sooner than we did and another night, or maybe nights, together. To a fine night together...and of course, relaxed drinking laws." The blonde rolled her eyes but still had a nice giggle as she tipped her wine glass closer.

"To us. To renewal. And for you, to a good night's sleep. Eventually." She raised her eyebrows up and both women clinked their glasses together with a bright sound emanating from their meeting, before folding their arms around to sample each other's wine, both taking in careful sips at first before taking larger ones as the flavorful taste hit their palates to the sounds of throaty moans of approval. The two women broke their clasp with nods and 'mmmm's.

Lorelai's eyes lit up deeply as the felt the rosy blush that had left her cheeks weeks before return at the overwhelming contact with the beautifully plain blonde.

"You are planning on consuming the entire bottle with me, right?" she asked.

Paris nodded quickly. "It may be the only way I'll be able to walk in these things!" She lifted up her feet to show off her grey heels. "Honestly, I didn't put these on until I got here."

"We shall teach you the ways of the Louboutin, young padawan," the brunette intoned as she could tell the comfort level was already headed towards their 'normal', where the food might be eaten, but it would definitely be secondary to the long conversations to be had. "I got you into my bedroom and now you're becoming a shoe fiend, aren't you?"

"Well..." Paris grinned deeply. "I did kind of get in $3,000 from my father allowing me a spree at The Bay when I was in Vancouver and shipped a few pairs home. Favorable exchange rates, of course." Her deep almond eyes twinkled with amusement. "And I may have picked up some wonderful lingerie too you'll get to see if you play your cards right."

"Really, now?" Lorelai bit down on her lip, having had the slight preview earlier with the stockings as she took another sip from her wine. "It really is the smart ones who are good in bed."

"Good?" The student raised an eyebrow. "One word; greenhouse." She eyed up Lorelai blatantly, the sprinklers still providing a source through the summer of a memory to relieve her stress.

"Two words for you; spontaneous orgasm." Lorelai came back with a tease of her own, and both women felt the sexual tension ratchet up again. "We're damned great in bed."

Paris added additional alliteration. "Dammmmned great." Then with a laugh to make things comfortable, they both began to talk, prepared for the formal, yet hearty dinner to come.  


* * *

"So it really is as beautiful as I pictured it? I always thought it was gonna be crowded and grungy--"

"Not that day, actually. I was kind of surprised but I was able to get as close as the rangers allowed. And it went off, like clockwork and it was just so amazing. It's like the Canyon and the tall redwoods in Yosemite. It's something you **must** see once in your life."

"Did you get any sprayback your way?"

"I got a little wet. Nothing too bad though."

Lorelai had her elbow on the table, leaning her chin against her hand as Paris described her travels across the West, finally getting to Yellowstone, the part she was most excited about. She was still on a high as they both talked animatedly about their trips, while Lorelai described the German and Eastern Europe parts of her trips just before the waiter brought out their meals.

He had been surprised for requests for large steaks rather than the usual smaller meals he had expected of the foreign women, but he knew the blonde woman would pay anything for her meals this evening. Paired with a lovely crab salad, organic broccoli, parsnips, small beets, and a few other sides, both women had made slow work of the meals, but consumed everything as Paris was able to confirm once and for all that the elder Gilmore was a willing herbivore if it was spread out in just the right way in front of her.

The wine bottle was well emptied, both women feeling a deeply pleasant buzz that broke apart their usual filters for the evening. In the whispers of the restaurant Paris and Lorelai didn't have to hold back as Lorelai described just how pervasive Emily was getting.

"You want me to get her off your back?" Paris asked. "She's just doing this to field her superiority over you for financing Rory's college. She shouldn't be doing that."

"Oh, I've tried. I **have** tried. There's no way to lead her astray at all, trust me. I don't even know how she does it, but she's--"

"Mannn, and I thought Sharon was bad. She's just overly protective of me. Emily though..." Paris cringed. "You drew the 'Annoying Mom' ace there. Sorry about that." She snorted lightly , feeling a little light on her feet as the wine hit her brain. "You should forgo email for the rest of the trip. Tell her if she's so interested in hearing about every move you make she can hear about it at the end. I was able to survive without much Internet for the last month."

"That's the thing. I didn't want to use the Internet at all, except for an email to Sookie here and there, and of course, you. But she's so damned sneaky, and smart. She hired her own tech guy! A guy just to help her get wired, and she knew if she got a PC she'd be in virus management mode all the time, so she made sure to get a Mac!"

"Well, I still say, freeze the Internet. Get Rory off it too; I'm sure Jess is exhausted with her clinginess."

"He is!" Lorelai's eyes widened. "I got a message the other day pleading with me to get her away! He's a guy with space needs, but you know Rory..."

"Yup, Shane knew all too well. Still a little unsporting how she claimed Jess." Lorelai nodded, agreeing with the girl who had heard everything secondhand. "You know, I'm still pissed at her a little. She cost you the trophy."

"Par--"

"No!" She threw her head back. "She was all 'oooh, me and Jess got together, I'm so happy, ladee-freakin-daa', and you were so close to winning the dance contest. Forty fucking minutes was all she had to wait before she could feel free to get her boy troubles settled up, but no, she left you in the cold and Kirk won again! I wanted to give her a piece of my mind because c'mon, you close that down."

"Hey, I really am fine, I promise."

"Lorelai...look me in the eye and tell me you are fine with it." The brunette shirked away.

"But I am, really..." She looked away before Paris brought her attention.

"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, look at me!" she said sharply. "Come on, don't be shy." Slowly Lorelai brought up her gaze until she was looking straight on at Paris, hoping to end the argument, but there was vulnerability within her eyes which the Yalie detected immediately.

"I knew it!" She laughed with a slight pounding on the table. "You wanted to win!"

"Well of course I did! Kirk shouldn't have that thing. It's mine and I was so close and...gahhhhhh! I wanted to win!" She wrung her fists together. "Is that wrong?"

Paris just smirked. "You love to win. That's how you were about the Dragonfly. You have entitled blood running through your veins and when that girl ditched you to crush Deano's heart, yours was too." She sat back as Lorelai considered how alcohol was definitely the great equalizer in opening up the conversation even more. "Y'know, if you need someone to dance with for the next year, I'll do it. I've got plenty of training and 24 hours?" She scoffed lightly. "I can do that in my sleep."

"You don't know the dance marathon though. Taylor..." Lorelai set the scene deeply. "He's this evil being who takes control of everything, like he's some kind of wicked taskmaster--"

"Eh, like Headmaster Charleston after a big schoolyard brawl. Trust me, I mocked him to his face once." She smiled and proudly repeated what she would have said in full. "Stupid white haired sexist prick."

"If you would have said that all..." Lorelai said, lowering her tone to chill the girl for a moment. Rory had told her about the offside comment, finding it offensive herself. Paris felt a little scared, until she felt Lorelai's ankle against hers.

"I definitely would've been happy. I wanted to get out much worse when I got called to his office. A suspension for telling him off like that? So worth it." The small blonde felt her heart hammer in her chest, a bit relieved that Lorelai wasn't going to yell at her, though she was now a bit on edge from the feeling of Lor teasing her down below. She felt the imprint of the gold anklet within the stocking against her leg and sighed, still feeling shocked that the woman actually wore it.

"Have...have you taken that...off?" She asked in a bluster as Lorelai sidled up against her. "I...I really did not expect it to be worn at all."

"Since I put it on at that roadside, It has not left my ankle except to get past security," she whispered. "It is a reminder, a lingering thing that just reminds me...when I really did fall for you." Her lashes lowered as she slipped her foot out of the shoe carefully so it rested flat on the ground. "To everyone else it's a 'cheap charm' I picked up at the mall kiosk. To the both of us though, it's like a promise ring. Of when you brushed off an instance of clumsiness as an opportunity to open up further."

"I still feel that massage," she shared, her smile opening up a bit as she recalled it. "I did have to take it off going through TSA in Boston and it felt like the longest five minutes of my life. I kept a close eye on the agent because I was scared they were going to steal it from me. I...I don't want to lose it." Lorelai stumbled over her words as she felt a swell of need go through her that she wanted to desperately push down. The dress felt like a tight binding, hitting every one of her curves but making her feel tightened up within it, as everything fit perfectly...

Too perfectly for her liking. She was sure her lady at least had a little looseness going on. She continued to edge her toes along the length of Paris's foot, smiling as she saw the waiter headed their way and pulled it back.

"Thank you," Paris said softly, as the waiter held a platter holding a large dish of sinful chocolate and raspberry mouse for them to share, fluffed up to a point where both women swore it was still just pure ingredients mixed with air.

"You enjoy your meals, ladies?" he asked kindly, the young man having done all he could to make sure the chefs in the back cut no corners. The red flag from the hotel when Dominique made the reservation that Paris was under the "Air France/Crillon Deluxe Plan" made it clear to them that slacking service was unacceptable.

"Absolutely," Paris responded. "I haven't even had a steak just that perfect back home. Everything was perfect." She then gave a look to Lorelai, who nodded.

"Compliments are deserved. Great atmosphere, nice food? A girl hostelling it up is very happy with this meal...and the company." She slid her hand into Paris's, loving to be a little possessive with people that didn't care. The waiter slipped the guestbook down and Paris glanced it over, not wanting to waste time at all. She took out the pen and looked over the figures, to her liking, and quickly scribbled her tip and signature while putting in her card in the book.

"I think you should find that acceptable." Without a glance, the waiter thanked them both, and left to finish the transaction as Paris brought her eyes back to Lorelai, while wrapping her hand around the woman's.

"So...tell me what you gave him," Lorelai asked. Paris knew she wasn't able to get out of her girlfriend's child-like begging, so she whispered the figure into her ear, leaving the brunette stunned.

"Well, a little large. But it was worth it. And he didn't hit on either of us, so that's a bonus tip right there." Paris laughed and they both picked up their dessert spoons to dig into the food as Paris could tell Lorelai was more than flustered from earlier. She used her free hand to make sure she was looking right in the front, noticing every sly glance from the innkeeper at her displayed cleavage through the opening of her blouse.

"I'm so glad you're here," Paris said as she curled up a piece of the mousse with a bit of hardened chocolate. "You up for the rest of the night?"

"Definitely. Top of the Tower for us in a little while, and then a walk on the Seine back to the hotel?" Paris shook her head.

"It's a little far to walk, about three miles. In heels and after a bottle of wine?" The blonde slitted her eyes. "We'll get the car service after we walk to get back there. Besides, I need every bit of energy I can spare."

Lorelai shook her head with a smirk, sitting back as she felt the girl's smugness hit her in a lovely way. "Aren't we a little confident there, Smartie? What makes you think I'll just give it up?" She wrapped her arms around her chest while Paris shook her head.

"You're incorrigible. Clearly, I meant for the intent of that statement to be that we have a long day tomorrow to spend with each other, possibly another evening. I cannot believe you'd take it that way." She slid the spoon into her mouth upside down, immediately coating her tongue with the beautiful dessert and blushing upon first taste of what flavors were mixing upon her taste buds. With a light blush upon her cheeks, she let out an appreciative moan at the fruity and decadent taste.

"Ooooh, God." She licked her lips. "I think I finally have my descriptive note of how an orgasm tastes." She took in another bite, sucking up the flavor off a cookie stick. "I've had good mousse back in Hartford and...this doesn't even compare." Lorelai laughed at how much the student loved the food. "Try it."

"I will, I'm just loving how you're looking right now." Lorelai rested her chin on her hand, just taking in the sight to her right of a totally happy and content Paris, something she had rarely seen outside of their time together. "I don't know what it is, but you just seem more...cheery than you ever had. No stress, no homework, nobody to impress, like everything is off your shoulders. I love how relaxation looks on you." In the dim light of the restaurant Lorelai was drawn in more by how Paris could treasure her despite the age gap between them that would make any other relationship of this type awkward to her. "Happiness agrees with you."

Paris took another couple bites, eating up the mousse from a cookie stick as she swirled it on in long curls. "I'm surprised by myself. I thought by the time Daddy and I split off that I was just going to be along and frumpy all the way to Colorado, but it didn't turn out that way. I felt good. Very nice. There are actually a lot of nice people out there, and Salt Lake City?" She hummed deeply. "I know the image is all Mormons and the Utah Jazz, but it's also of food. Very good food. I had only a couple days there, but the ice cream shop I went to and this family restaurant later in the first day..." She laughed. "Seven words; all you can eat mac and cheese. And it was just nice to have a friendly person there just telling you 'have all you want' rather than watching your waistline. I just had so much fun out there."

Lorelai slid her hand onto Paris's shoulder and smiled back at her wide. "So you are happy?"

"After that mousse? Beyond!" Her eyes were wide open as she looked towards Lorelai. "C'mon, try it already! I swear..."

The innkeeper shook her head, knowing Paris was having a big sugar/wine rush. "You're not going to jump around the room and turn green tomorrow, are you? You did that one night you slept over and you had to go to the CVS to cure your 'hangover'."

Paris shook her head. "Oh God, no! I was on a crash diet my mother suggested...which as usual, failed, thank you...so all that savory food and ice cream mixed with that other crap didn't sit well with me. And besides, it's Europe! Big exception to the rule."

"Alright, alright, I'm trying it. I swear, your mother wasn't a diet freak, you'd be Veruca freakin' Salt. Though...you got me here, so maybe you are." She wagged her eyebrows as Paris gave her a glare, shaking her head as she enjoyed battling the woman's silly sense of humor. It didn't matter though, for as soon as Lorelai tasted the dessert off the cookie stick, she was in heaven.

"Damn, that is an orgasm in a dessert form! Mmmmpfff!" She squealed as Paris shook her head, knowing that she would love it. "Sure we can't take this home? Or have it pumped into our bloodstreams?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Paris was pleased as the two shared the mousse, finishing it off too soon for the both of them as they looked at the soon empty bowl mournfully while Lorelai dabbed the corner of her mouth with her napkin.

"And...that was a meal," she declared. "A great meal." Lorelai sighed as she adjusted her dress downward, as it decided it really liked riding up her thighs. "I guess I should definitely say thank you for this. It's nice to be spoiled."

"You're welcome." Paris felt wonderful that her plan was coming off very well so far. "This is just the appetizer to the night though, you know that, right?"

The tall brunette nodded excitedly. "Even if it was everything, it was so worth it." She paused as she thought about clearing the air a little further. "I...I'm sorry I was a little bitchy earlier, by the way. I was just thrown off by coming to town and suddenly being ordered to some hotel I didn't know for something--"

"Lorelai?"

"No, I do--" She was stopped before she could go any further as Paris laid a kiss on her lips, taking her by the shoulders and helping her up from the seat as she was even surprised by how much force she felt for the woman. She allowed herself the luxury of falling into it and being a little aggressive, feeling up Lorelai's strong forearms and feeling all the tension within them. _Man, she could probably lift me off the ground_ , she thought to herself as she broke apart from a Lorelai deeply flustered and gasping for a few puffs of breath.

"O...kay. No apologies needed," Lorelai said, mainly to herself as again she had to adjust the dress downward. "You've improved a lot."

"I've had a lot of time to think," Paris quipped. "Also way too many fantasies of you to count." She felt down along the back of Lorelai's dress, feeling quite turned on by how it felt like the article was actually painted on against her girlfriend. "I really did get your dress size right."

"A little too right." Lorelai shook her head with a bright smile. "Coming out of the car I was scared I was going to give the driver an unexpected lookie-loo at my you-know-what, but I know the rules of getting out. He was also a chivalrous guy, didn't even look anywhere but my eyes."

"I would hope so; I did pay plenty to make sure I was the only one allowed to stare blatantly this evening." With a smile, she held Lorelai's hand as they began the second part of their date. "You have your camera?"

"That I do have," Lorelai said. "I know though, no pictures of you, just the scenery, which judging from this night is going to be amazing!" The two women began their departure from the fine restaurant after a couple more conversations with the staff, to head out into the Parisian evening and enjoy the view from the top of the Tower before heading back to the hotel.  


* * *

It was near midnight when Lorelai and Paris finally arrived back in Suite 652, ending their unexpected date evening as the two tired women entered the room with Paris's key slide, both of them laughing as if they were lifelong friends.

"...And then that one guy asked if we were lost. Like we were! How can you get lost on the Eiffel Tower? How the fuck he lead out into 'because I've found the **women** of my dreams', I still can't get! Do we look like we'll have a threesome with a random guy? I have absolutely no interest!"

Lorelai felt tears of laughter coming on, the extra wine imbibed on the way home in the car after a long tour of the Seine riversides getting to her. "He was staring at your boobs too. Not at your eyes, he only literally saw you as boobs."

"That's besides the point though, he was leering you too. Damn, am I cursing that dress right now." The small woman stared daggers at her lover, having forgotten that putting her girlfriend on display also meant that pervs wanted to check out the merchandise with their eyes. "At least he made quick work of fleeing when you suggested the detachment of his member. Still shocked me; that threat is usually mine."

"Well, he shouldn't have looked at you like a piece of meat, Par."

"But still, I usually scare the guys away." She winced as she was able to sit on the bed and shuck off the heels which had been fun to wear, but murder on her feet. "I didn't expect you to get so...territorial. I mean--"

"You didn't expect me to get territorial? Really. Remember how I cut down that Superman-looking guy who dragged off the girls at the Bangles concert? And just be glad I only saw Jamie in pictures." She had a dopey grin across her face as she made sure to grab the do not disturb tag and put it on the outside of the door before locking it for the evening. "I'm glad that was the only rude interruption to our night though."

"Not that anyone could. My larynx is so stretched out I'm sure it has a rubber consistency at the present time. I have now determined that somehow, Lorelai Gilmore, you bring out the conversation in me." She took off her expensive heels and set them at the bedside, wiggling her toes for the first time in seven hours.

"Well, you helped too, having all of those things to talk about. Of course, Yale. It's just nice to hear that you're just worried about how you'll come off rather than the same talk every day." The tall woman sucked in her lip, trying to be seductive but with the wine, knew they were both a little unsteady on their feet as she made her way to the bed. "I still can't believe what we did when we were on the deck, though."

"I apologize for that, by the way. I don't usually have that problem with heights. Just the tallest." The smaller woman whimpered lightly. "The Hancock in Boston I can do, but then you get outdoors and it's just a bit too much. You feel that lurch at your stomach and the last thing you want to do is look down."

Lorelai came around towards the bed after grabbing two sparkling waters from the fridge. "Having a fear of heights is something everybody has. I even had it as I held you back, to be honest. But I wasn't going to show it because it was just this moment we couldn't spoil with our fears."  


* * *

**_ Earlier... _ **

**__**Paris knew it had been silly. Admitting she had a fear of tall heights once they went out onto the open air deck as the sun set in the distance, a little whimper noticed by her lover as something she didn't expect to have been read at all. She was fearless, Miss Independent.

But with her new openness towards the former Chilton mother came an unveiling of layers she never shared outside of her own private domain. As she felt that first sense of vertigo overwhelm her she was taken aback by two strong arms wrapping around at her shoulders, locking beneath her underarms as she felt a soft kiss pressed against her neck. The first response of asking Lorelai to let go of her was killed with the simple promise she wouldn't let her fall whispered into her ear.

The older woman's extra height was a thankful safety net as Lorelai kept her arms safely wrapped around, calming Paris until she could feel the soft tremors in the girl's hands fade to nothing. She felt fingers brushing along the underside of her breasts in what appeared to be an asexual manner, her body stiffened from the months away from the beautiful woman.

"Lor..." She felt herself stiffen as it seemed the wine began to hit Lorelai's brain and she felt a little bold, the hands moving just a bit northward. "Thank you." The woman nodded, and blew a puff of air against the back of her neck, hairs standing on end as the brunette enjoyed the reaction of the shudders moving up her body from her hands.

"I'm always going to be here to protect you," Lorelai whispered as the _Montparnasse_ was distant in their view. "You don't have to be strong for me, Par. Let me hold you." The blonde nodded and held on to a railing as she found the night crowd was surprisingly lacking for a rare cool July night. The wind fluttered their hair back and forth as Paris hooked one of heels just below the railing.

"Hold me." Paris felt the clench seem to relax lightly as the night guards made a quick round before heading for the other side. The tall brunette felt a bit flustered, but as she felt Paris push against her, she knew it was about the most intimate public clench she could muster in such a setting.

Surprising to Paris, just the feel of the back of Lorelai's thigh against the back of her skirt was enough to make her feel a drip forming between her legs. She backed herself in slightly, much to the brunette's surprise. But as their usual fears had disappeared with the wine, Lorelai felt oddly empowered by the gesture.

"Love being held like this?" Paris nodded as she felt another puff of breath on the back of her shoulder. Lorelai then looked both ways for anyone oncoming before...

"When was the last time?" she wondered. "Tell me...since we were in the greenhouse...have you?"

Paris nodded shakily. "Not like...usual," she admitted. "Like my body knew you weren't...around."

"It senses, doesn't it? Not feeling me, it's like a dog looking for their favorite slobbery tennis ball," she intoned, blatantly moving her left leg outside of what had been a straight clench and to fit between Paris's. "Still use fingers, or the massager?"

"No massager, not on the road. Though I admit a couple times I fed the Magic Fingers machine with quarters to get a little rocking going to...relax me, as it were."

"Mmm, you just admitted that to me. I don't know whether to giggle or be turned on." Their conversation continued to be whispered as it seemed it definitely was a quiet night. Lorelai dared to allow herself to move her hand up from Paris's waist towards the bottom of her breasts. "You know what I've heard on odd studies designed to fill newspaper paragraphs when the local mini-mart forgets their ad for the week?"

"Ooooh, keep talking journalism to me, Lor. It's getting me wound up," she said with a soft smile. "Never thought I'd get turned on about a newspaper neophyte talking about column space."

"Well, this study said that..." She slid her open fingers seductively across Paris's stomach in a protective manner. "There was a tourist destination in the world most women have said they wanted to be...fulfilled at."

"Of course, I know the answer." A pause of anticipation. "The teacup ride at Walt Disney World? Orrr, was that the Detroit People Mover?"

"Yeah, because that's just what I wanna do at Disney, take someone to the sound of the most annoying song ever, which I will not mention for your sanity." Lorelai chuckled as nipped at the shell of her ear. "You're standing on it right now."

"They want sex here? At the Eiffel Tower?" As she was about to argue the results, she felt a press of Lorelai's other hand on the front of her skirt. The bottom of the woman's hand seemed to somehow emulate the same shape of the "vee" between her legs as she felt the slik-like material of the skirt lining press against her center, while the seam of her pantyhose pressed between her legs. "Lorelai..."

"There's nobody around and you're a little wound up," she whispered. "Really quick, just a little wiggle. Back into my hand and I'll have you off like a light." A finger snuck between buttons, undoing one to sneak a couple of fingers along the lowest part of Paris's bra. "You want this, and I'm holding you down. I'm not gonna let you go here." A kiss below Paris's ear. "You're not going to fall."

"Lor, it's too late," she said softly. "I already...have."

"I know. You came all the way here to make me happy. You've not only fallen, you're tumbling," Looking both ways, Lorelai felt secure enough to press her palm against Paris, quickly finding the seam of her hosiery from memory. "Love you." A finger dared to move along the beautiful embroidery of the bra beneath until she felt a raised ridge beneath her fingertip. "Really love you."

Paris blushed, still not believing only forty-eight hours before she had never considered being anywhere near this position, gasping at the contact from her lover. "Love you too, though I am not moving an inch left or right to prevent a tragic heel accident." She panted in place when she felt the various layers hit her just right as Lorelai's legs held her in a tight grip, keeping her in place as she grasped at the blouse cuff in her left hand to calm her nerves, thankful it was just a little loose. "Oh...God."

"You're so warm," Lorelai murmured in her ear as her palm found a motion she knew Paris was enjoying, cupping her sex in a manner that still looked like an innocent wrap to a neutral observer. She knew Paris wouldn't need much to be driven off.

Paris hissed, closing her eyes and willing herself to let go the stress of the last few much and the missing of any kind of contact with the raven-haired woman since the month before. She could feel her nipples hardening from the bare contact of the woman's fingers against her right one, doing a little flick against the side and gasping out her need.

 _Just focus on you...nothing else_ , she kept repeating in her head, even as her libertarian mind was repeating over and over that they were in view of either a closed circuit or aerial view camera overlooking the deck and warning her she was not doing the right thing.

 _But I am_ , she said, warning off the voice in her head that pushed off all risk, and over the years, too many opportunities for fun. _Damn it, guess what it led to? A flame-out of the Harvard interview, and no valedictorian. I've stopped you when it comes to Lor and haven't felt one bit of guilt, and I don't plan to start anytime soon!_ She wrapped a little more around Lorelai's leg to gain a bit more leverage and involuntarily moved her abdominals and glutes in a smooth circle, rising and falling as Lorelai barely had to provide any movement herself.

"Need...this..." She took in a deep breath and bit down on her lip, feeling completely secure. Lorelai felt the warmth from Paris and licked her lips, hearing the beautiful gasps and moans from her beloved and smiling as she felt Paris's thrusts speed up more. _Definitely not going to take all night_ , she thought, knowing their relaxed state had taken out much of the blonde's usual performance anxiety.

She moved her mouth lower, nipping at Paris's neck, just behind the mark on her left side. "I missed seeing this," she said. "First thing I think when I see you is I hope you haven't removed it. It would kill me if you did...it's too beautiful. It's part of you."

"Not going anywhere, I promise." Paris shuddered at the deep contact as Lorelai hovered her lips just barely above her neck, which to her was very erotic, even more so than kissing. She carefully crossed her feet over to wrap around, scared to move too much to spark up her acrophobia. "Take me, Lori...please." Her voice was barely a croak, her memory redirecting every nerve she had towards the building need to come.

"Your wish is my command." With a little chuckle Lorelai became a bit more blatant, comfortable that no one had encroached their space in the last few minutes. She pushed the remainder of her left hand into the smaller woman's blouse, cupping at her breast and humming at the intimacy of the soft and firm flesh she had become familiar with, her fingers flicking at the nipple as she felt Paris pushing faster and faster against her. "Also, you are a very lucky woman...I **never** let anyone call me Lori. Makes me sound like a bored housewife from Schaumburg about to do cardio at Bally's. With you though, a lot different. The name is sensual from you."

The only response she received in turn from Paris was what she thought was a purring. She slid the fingers more blatantly against Paris's center, finding the outline of her lover's mound through the skirt plumping from the contact. She pushed her nail against a felt seam, guiding it in dead-center.

"It'll be fast," she warned as she could see Paris grasping at the rail tightly, her ass grinding slowly against her. "And you can pay me back later, not now. Can't feel much to be honest."

"Sure?" The tightness of Lorelai's dress made any sensual contact impossible on her end.

"Do I have it?" Her index and middle fingers lined up the hosiery seam perfectly against Paris's center through her panties and she began to slouch slightly to provide herself support. She closed her eyes tight, knowing for sure the digital stimulation was just going to hasten things. Her mind was focused on being in the zone she found herself in when going for a near-touchless come. No view of Paris in front of her, below, or above. She was focused, the security of Lorelai's 'hold' heating her up.

 _Don't let yourself go too much,_ she warned herself. _You really don't want a black mark on your passport for public exhibitionism. Even if it isn't very public_. She took in deep breaths to keep herself focused, sighing deeply as she felt Lorelai lightly applying pressure against her breast, alternating between a squeeze and a brush.

Soon, she was feeling deeply light-headed. Her body began to wind up and she gasped out a need for release. "Getting there...alll-most there..." Both women were quiet, Lorelai just sensing by touch and warmth where the younger woman needed the most pressure. Small gasps and whimpers helped her further and she could feel the tightening process begin, her breasts beginning to firm up in anticipation.

"Come, Paris," she whispered. "You've given me a night to remember; hopefully I can do the same for you.". Paris fisted the material of her blouse tightly in her hand and kicked up her leg, stomping her heel against the ground as her pelvic muscles began the deep clench. Heaving deeply, she had never felt this much pressure before and felt tears sneaking from her eyes somehow. She cursed under her breath, her small form tightening as she felt the seam hitting her so right despite the silk layer above the hose, it had to be a dream.

"Lorrrr...fuck!"

Sweat dripped down from her forehead, across her brow and then along her cheeks as she bit down on both her cheek and her lower lip as she knew in a non-public situation this would be a screaming orgasm, something she couldn't have. Feeling one last deep cup of her breast by her lover behind her, along with a circle of her nipple with the heel of Lorelai's hand had been enough for her. She hyperventilated as her walls closed in and she rode the waves, the need for release she had been searching for since being taken in the greenhouse finally found. Lorelai palmed her mound, guiding her through and nipping at her ear, keeping her settled down, feeling deeply naughty for giving her younger lover a bit of pleasure when she least expected it.

"Yessss...." She began to release the pressure from her throat from holding back the orgasmic need, letting it out slowly like a balloon while feeling her body become unsettled and floppy as too quickly she began the come down process, Lorelai quickly sliding her hand from out of her blouse to hold her up at the waist.

The timing was most fortunate, as the night guard had just made the turn back towards them and immediately laid his eyes upon them, Paris quickly adjusted her posture upward despite the lack of current muscle reflex through her system as he seemed to eye them both up for suspicious activity. He turned back to look straight ahead, leaving them behind as both women were relieved not to have been caught. Paris held a hand to her chest and gave Lorelai a deep look.

"You're lucky I enjoyed that," she said. "I...I don't even know what to make of it." A pause as she shook her head and recomposed herself. "Next time you decide to feel me up on a Wonder of the World, you wanna give me a little notice?"

"Wait..." Lorelai smirked with a closed mouth smile. "I could've just let you know?" The response earned her a light punch on the arm. "Hey, I did give you a head's up!"

"Mm-hmm. But I guess I'm to blame a little." She rebuttoned her shirt hastily and smoothed out her skirt. "But you get most of it. After all..." she turned herself around carefully and stood up on her heels to give Lorelai a light brush of her lips against her neck and cheek. "I can never deny how you make me feel."

"Mmm, I felt it, alright." Lorelai moaned as her student lover seemed completely focused on her. "You know what I want to do next?"

"Sorry, Lori, the Notre Dame is closed to our dirty little minds," she off-handed.

"As tempting as that is...and it very much is..." Lorelai hummed in pleasure. "We have some pictures to take."

"Seems like an activity we can do without driving each other crazy." Both women nodded, and Lorelai was relieved at how happy and relaxed Paris was as she held her while taking her pictures, keeping Paris in her arms to view the dusking city at every point of the deck's radius, both of them in awe at the sights below them. She had never felt more relaxed before, and by the time of their departure around 9:30pm, Paris's flirting had picked up considerably after their visit to the gift shop for the usual assortment of souvenirs, including miniatures. By the time they got into the elevator, the younger girl was deeply unlike herself as she usually was. She pushed the button and immediately when the doors closed, gave Lorelai a seductive glance. The innkeeper could see naughtiness in her eyes, but knew it was mostly the wine effects and sex euphoria in her mind.

"Paris?"

"Yessss?" The academic laughed in a way unlike her, with Lorelai shaking her head.

"Not in the elevator. No way. Not with only two minutes to hitting the ground."

"Noo, not that! Lorelai, I know the speed of this elevator!" Another laugh. "No, I just need you to...umm..." She narrowed her eyes slightly. "How do I put this? Adjust me?"

"Adjust?" A pause. "Honey, what are you saying?"

"You know...my undercarriage. The balance is a little heavy in the back. As in, more fabric in the back than up front?"

It took a few moments before the woman got it, and she groaned. "Honey, you can just say I gave you a wedgie unexpectedly. It's OK." She helped Paris with her situation, feeling happy for getting her that wound up, if a little out of control. She was still getting used to Paris being open with only her as she felt around and straightened her underwear and hose anew. "There we go."

"Thank you." Paris shuddered lightly, still feeling odd about being a sensual woman. They used the remaining time to calm themselves down and feel like elegant tourists again before heading out of the elevator, sure to always remember where they met anew in Paris.

Both of them wandered the lighted walkways of the _Champ de Mars_ , the innkeeper feeling assured of her safety as she knew the overachieving blonde was very adept in self-defense if someone dared to harm them both. Her hand never left Paris's hand as they journeyed through the park, talking to themselves and about their surroundings.  


* * *

Paris sighed as she recalled the hour in the park...while her feet reminded her of what she had gone through with a sharp pain through her ankle. She winced, having been stubborn to keep her shoes on even through the drive back to the hotel.

Lorelai took bottles of sparkling water from the refreshed fridge, coming over to Paris's side as she was thankful to take the bottle, twisting open the cap and taking down three good-sized gulps to refresh herself. She stretched out her legs, not wanting her feet to yet leave their finely crafted accommodations with the red soles. Paris opened her bottle and took a smaller sip before capping the bottle and setting it on the nightstand. She then stretched herself out, feeling quite seductive as she could feel her skirt hitch up slightly as she go comfortable on the bed, a move not unnoticed by Lorelai as the slight slit in the material on the left side moved up to bare just a little more thigh.

"So..." Paris was as casual as a girl her age with her smarts could be. "How does this bed feel?"

"Well, it isn't the cloud that is the Tempur-Pedic back at the Manor, but it is beyond comfortable and..." She laughed slightly as she let her rear bounce on the bed a little. "Now this is a bed! And I can actually trust these covers beneath a backlight!"

"Funny you'd say that; I get to take them home after if I pay the hotel a fee for them," Paris noted, remembering the long line of notes she got with the room itinerary. "I just might take them up on their kind offer too because you can't get this kind of down and thread count back in the States without having to get Lord & Taylor involved. Might make it more cosmopolitan when I get the bed into my dorm."

"Wait...you're actually going to bring that thing with you to college?" Lorelai scoffed, wondering how the girl would be able to fit it in the dorm. "Are you actually going get it in there?"

"I did the calculations when I visited the dormitories last month before my departure for Boise. I will have to take out the door when I actually try to get it in and I will have to buy a special college-only bed frame with under-bed drawers, but I should make it work. I will not sleep on a twin mattress when I just laid down all that money on a bed I intend to use for years."

Lorelai pursed her lips, wiggling her fingers around as she crossed over her legs while noting how excited the older teenage girl was about her sleeping arrangements. "OK...what will you do for a computer then, though? Will you be able to fit a desk in there?"

"You don't think I can live in a small space, can you?" Paris smiled confidently. "I installed a television tuner into my Mac. My clothing needs will continued to be addressed through a laundry pickup weekly by the Manor staff, and I have catalogued my complete wardrobe, so I can call up what I need when I need it. I only plan to keep basic snacks and staples, along with soft drinks in my room, and I have plans for most everything else. I shall be able to make myself comfortable with living alone, while sleeping in complete luxury. The only things that will stay permanently within the room are a tall bookshelf to fit in my books, and a locked lingerie drawer, so that neither some sketchy staff member back home in Hartford or Yale pledges looking to fulfill their fraternity checklist will be able use my underwear to attain their goals." She saw Lorelai staring into space as she talked, and wondered how she was processing her monologue. "How does that sound?"

"Ummm..." Lorelai narrowed her eyes, feeling a bit flush. "Sounds like you've got your college living plans all sealed up." She chuckled and began to move her gaze downward again, her mind processing that her girlfriend had everything well planned out. "Are you getting nervous yet? I remember when I talked to you the day before I left and you were relieved that nobody in your family hated you for your choice."

"A...little." Paris settled back against the pillow, sighing in contentment as she closed her eyes. "I think I can do it, but I keep going back to the breakdown. I did that a lot through the summer and had some nightmares that my acceptance would be taken back for a number of reasons. I'm just kind of scared because I'm going it alone now, really. Louise finally got into Sarah Lawrence and made up her mind after her Tulane flirtation; she had thought of going there until she realized her and humidity have never mixed well. Madeline's even farther away at a school in Oakland. I just have to buck up, get down to studying, and of course...try not to get to that state again. I really don't want to scare anyone off."

Lorelai nodded as she took in Paris's words. She didn't seem scared, but was using the older woman as a soundboard to hope she was right. She shifted up on the bed, finding a couple of loose tendrils of hair and looped them around her fingers to calm the girl's nerves.

"You don't have to worry about impressing anyone right away though," she softly intoned. "Just go into the flow, make new friends and don't fall into the traps of your past. Or think you have to join a sorority to get your social standing up."

"My mother does want me to join, but I know what it will lead to; wasted time and too much talk about boys a confirmed bisexual like me will never swoon to. Don't get me wrong, I do want to make friends. But you know how I am, I can be intimidating."

"I know that well." Lorelai shuddered as she recalled actually quaking in fear many times at the blonde's Jack Webb-like demeanor in public. "Just don't intimidate then."

"I can't just switch it off though." Paris let out a long breath. "You saw how our first two encounters went, the first was all just aggressiveness, the second? I was fuming about dumping a guy. And I barely relaxed at the Manor."

"Well, how do you feel now then?" Lorelai wondered. "You must be much calmer in my presence." She settled her hand along Paris's cheek and brushed it along her fingers. "I know I'm feeling very good right now."

Paris stayed quiet for a few moments, pensive as she faced her lover, turning in the bed as she let herself feel overwhelmed by those intense blue eyes shining at her, nothing but need for her reflected within them. "To tell the truth? I'm a bit intimidated. I forgot how you can fit into a dress and I'm feeling like I actually underdressed for the occasion."

"Par, you look incredible right now," Lorelai hastily said, reminding the girl of her blossoming beauty. "Better you in crisp business dress than all gussied up in your cursed corduroys. The skirt is just killing me." She squinted as she felt her eyes adjusting to the dim light of the room. "I love how it flatters your legs."

"I didn't know it could." The blonde felt like she was treading on different territory. "I'm still getting used to this, looking hot."

Lorelai let her mouth run ahead of her brain. "You always were," she whispered, her self-censor completely turned off.

Paris's head suddenly shot up. "Always?" Catching Lorelai, her curiosity began to build. "I'm sorry, what do you mean by that?"

"That...oh, shit." The lodger slapped her forehead as the impact of her words hit. "That didn't come out in the way I hoped. Fuck." She shook her head in deep guilt. "Paris--"

"No, this I do want to hear." Paris's tone to Lorelai was surprisingly neutral. "You're among friends here."

"Yeah, but I'm also with said friend and carrying on a lesbian affair two months out of high school with her! Not exactly looking for Mary Kay to be the woman I idolize for love life examples."

"Two big differences; we're both well above age, and most importantly, we only had **one** incident with us together while we were in a relationship. One which I went in, knowing that it was wrong, but I still enjoyed it too damned much to care. It's OK, Lor." She smiled shyly. "You said I was always hot. I'd like to know why."

"Oh, God." Lorelai massaged her temples. "You're not going to let me into the batter's box until I answer it, huh?" She felt shaky around the teenager.

"This goes nowhere at all. Nobody will ever know." Paris's eyes reflected complete honesty and privacy. "Come on--"

"OK, fine. Suddenly had an image of you in a fedora over a crappy light in an interrogation room there." Lorelai sighed, pausing to gather her thoughts as Paris's soft smile spread across her lips. "You know I've talked about how you're cute even without model-like looks, right?"

"We have gone over the appeal of that, yes."

"It's more than that. It's how you seem to care. You don't let yourself get sidetracked at all. When you did that project sophomore year at my house you didn't let the girls get in your way. You went on and on until they got bored with prattling on about my life. But I think what got me was when you didn't listen to Rory when it came to that Tristan mess over the summer."

"Lor--"

"No, no." She raised her hand up. "I am not looking for an apology. I wouldn't, at all. Funny thing is, in that situation..." A pause. "You were right."

"How was I right?" Paris questioned with a scoff. "I listened to the gossip and believed that he was taking her to the concert! I went off the rails there, even I can admit that!"

"But you don't have to. Because you were not wrong." She clenched Paris's wrist. "I never did tell Rory this, but I'm glad you threw up a roadblock at her and started her out low on the totem at the _Franklin_." Her voice became serious. "I wouldn't have approved of Tristan. He was a part of the side of the rich life I disapproved of. He wouldn't have cared for my daughter at all, and then when I found out you had the date arranged with him by her? Why did you need her help? You seemed to be doing fine luring him in all by yourself and you would've probably been able to turn him in time. But Dumbo there took it as an obligation and damned Skippy I was glad you dodged her Cupid's arrow and refused to date on what terms she addressed."

Paris continued to listen, not interrupting Lorelai as she took in all of her points leading back to her observation. "The thing is, she had to **earn** your friendship, and I liked that about you. Not really the 'blab about me making out with Max' thing, but she just couldn't skip in, ask you to be her buddy and that was it. You gave her competition, a drive to be better, something she didn't have at the high school back home. That's why I told her to just brush off your 'picking on' her, because I knew you weren't doing anything bad to her at all. Just telling her, get better."

"OK, but that doesn't explain why I've always been hot to you," Paris argued. "That made me understand further, but not fully."

Lorelai opened her hand, shaking her head adorably at the blonde's impatience. "I'm getting to that. Keep your knickers on there." Paris rolled her eyes and let Lorelai go on. "So, OK, that first year we had was awkward. You got to know me as this cool woman too into leopard print and Hello Kitty." Paris nodded, settling herself down again. "But, even in that time, I could tell there was something about you that was unusual. In a way I wanted to know more about."

The innkeeper sighed, knowing the alcohol they had both had through the night was getting to them, but in a way that only opened up conversation more. "I've had my share of friends, you know. The high school ladies who abandoned me when I got pregnant, Sookie, and to a point, Lane. But then I found a new challenge with you, Par. I saw you come in and you were just this girl who didn't enjoy fun. You were there to just work, that's it. So I went about showing you how to have fun, and at first, it was hard. You weren't impressed by me and I began to feel like you were just never going to budge."

"But...I did see some wrinkles." She wandered her hands up Paris's wrist as she unbuttoned the cuff on her left arm and began to roll up the sleeve of the blouse. "The parents meetings when you came around, I never really liked to talk about them with anyone else because I did it just to keep Il Duce off my ass. But I enjoyed it when you rolled in and gave your student POV of issues we brought up. The other women I could tell just loathed you coming in, telling them what to do." She hummed as she could tell Paris was beginning to goosebump on her arms, hair standing on end. "But there was just something about being a neutral ground with you, away from the town, from Rory, and from everyone else who consider you to be a pain in the ass."

Paris took in unsteady breaths as she took in Lorelai's monologue. She didn't know what it was or if it was the alcohol really getting to her as it always did, or just the fact Lorelai was talking to her again. She was just happy to hear the beautiful woman, and feel her fingers wander her arms.

"I think...I didn't realize it until the ticket sale. It was an unconscious thought that just was rattling around behind Max and trying to get back on the market with a good guy. I thought that I needed a man to get my second lifetime started up. But there were times I dragged myself to the parents meetings just to have those three minutes to see you...to hear you. No Rory warning you that you were on the way, or having to see you all wound up for competition. It was just you, as you were. And I kept thinking about that as the months went on.

"I mean, I guess you can't say there was a moment I considered you 'hot'. But I just keep thinking about you, dreaming about you, staying up at night in my bunk awake with fear and going back in my mind...you're just you. You could care less about going all the way to look pretty even when you have to, and I think, really, when I brought you home after the Bangles concert and you were still all giddy from that night, I was glad I could give it to you. A night away from all the stress and your parents and...I don't regret it, at all."

"I do regret one thing," Paris said, interrupting her and suddenly bringing Lorelai to a halt. Her whisper caught the woman unawares.

"What?" Lorelai was startled. "I--"

"The thing I regret," she said, bringing her gaze over, "was that the tickets were wasted on Madeline and Louise. You deserved to be on the floor that night with Rory and I, and though I still laugh at your experience deep in the cheap seats, I think if you were there with me, it would've been a better memory."

The brunette was in shock as the blonde's quiet words rumbled through her soul. "I would've even taken an upper deck seat with you, let Sookie have her ticket. I felt guilty making you give up your seats and when I got home that night I actually wrote a diary entry where I expressed guilt for enjoying an experience you should have. I...I'm sorry, Lor."

"No, don't." Lorelai shook her head. "Paris, I just wanted Rory to bond with hopefully new friends. That was why I offered them. And I had to push her into it."

"That's why I felt uneasy. I didn't want to just take them. I hated cheating you out of all that and two years later it still feels like it."

"Hey...I have plenty more opportunities to see the Bangles. They aren't retiring anytime soon, hon." She hoped to calm her lover's fears. "The only thing that hurt that night was the altitude sickness."

Paris rolled her eyes. "You were only 50 feet above us!"

"Might as well have been 5,000 feet. At least it wasn't a steep, steep theater. I needed an oxygen tank halfway through!" Paris giggled at Lorelai's hyperbole.

"Well, still, you thought I was hot because I enjoyed that concert."

Lorelai nodded happily. "You were. It was nice to get you into a place where you'd be able to let loose for awhile."

"Speaking of the Bangles concert..." Paris giggled happily as she suddenly hopped from the bed. "I have something for you!" She bounced up in the bed suddenly as Lorelai looked started as the tired girl suddenly found a burst of energy.

"Whoa, calm down there, Sparky!" She tried to hold back the young woman but couldn't as the blonde had a rare bubbly moment. She made her way to the modern style dresser at the end of the room to grab something from the drawer. "Honey--"

"No...no, just sit there. I want this to be special." Paris reached into the large drawer, perfect enough to fit an entire piece of luggage. She unclasped her largest piece of hardback luggage and found the black bag from the duty-free shop. "Close your eyes," she said in a rush, which caused Lorelai to heave out a groan more appropriate for a teenager than a 35 year-old woman.

"Again with the eye-closing. If that is a sex toy--"

"Oh my God!" Paris's voice carried surprisingly across the room. "Rule that out, please? I'm not into the idea of carrying bedroom items across international frontiers!" Lorelai snorted at how the serious plea could sound so silly out of Paris's mouth.

"OK, OK, not a sex toy!" The brunette smirked as she heard the rumpling of a bag. "Though I'm not opposed to be given one, or giving you one. Let's just say there's something I miss back in Stars Hollow that is getting a good 'welcome home' when I get back."

"Lor, I am half-drunk with shin splints from walking in heels for nine hours after you gave me a 'how's your father' 900 feet above Paris. Thinking about your bedroom behavior with your Magic Wand does not help when I want to keep my balance." Even as it came out completely serious, the petite woman was smiling deeply as she made sure everything was all in order. She heard a snort from the woman before coming back and flopping onto the bed after placing the bag in Lorelai's hands.

"Oooh, it's something sort of light," she observed, feeling the slickness of the bag. "Not perfume heavy though. This is a bit different. Hmm..." She pondered in the few moments what it could be, feeling the bottom and around, and the tissue paper on top of the package. "Oooh, I love tissue paper, I can totally use this to stuff my bra!"

Paris rolled her eyes and knew it was time to end the mystery. "Open your eyes and stop making me think of your boobs."

"Oh, so now you complain about them. It's because you thought of them we're here in the first place." She looked at the package and squealed. "Oooh..." Reaching in, she put aside much of the paper to find what was in the bag, sizing it up with her hands. "Oh, wow. This must be something really nice." Paris sat on her hands bouncing on the bed, waiting for Lorelai to open her present. She pulled it out and examined the wrapping.

"Even better than I could ever do," she said, complimenting the handiwork of the embossed wrapping. Coming over to the gift tag, she opened it up and read the text out loud, the 'song in my heart' portion suddenly causing her to still up in place.

"Song?"

Paris nodded. "Open it?" Lorelai felt her hands shake slightly, an overwhelming sense of need building for the blonde. Their eyes locked for a moment as Lorelai slid a fingernail beneath the fold to unwrap the gift while preserving the paper as well as she could. The nail ran down each seam until only a small portion of Scotch tape was holding the wrapping together. The older woman sucked in her lip and prepared to reveal the surprise, while Paris was in awe that the woman Rory had once described as leaving 'a scorched trail of giftwrap and bows at Christmas' had undone the wrapping so cleanly.

She tore open the last piece of tape, expecting near anything to appear in front of her...

But then she let out a shriek of delight as the white packaging revealed what led into it.

"Oh my God!" Her heart caught in her chest as all nervousness about what Paris would get her disappeared. "It's...this is what I think it is, right?" She looked over the box in disbelief. "Paris..."

"If it's too grand, I--"

"No, not at all. I'm...I..." She clutched the woman in a sudden tight hug, throwing the iPod box off to her side to bounce harmlessly on the bed. "Honey, you didn't have to but I'm glad you did!" She squealed as her hands wrapped around Paris's back. "My very own iPod! I can stick all the terrible music and dirty comedy albums on it I want and not have to share it. All mine and..."

She paused for a moment. "Though, it's kind of useless without anything on it. Umm...I know it doesn't come with anything."

"Lor?" Paris laughed. "I have all the Bangles albums and a few more 80's acts. Wham! for some reason, Pat Benetar, Belinda, the Go-Go's, Flock of Seagulls, bunch of other music I've bought since you dragged me kicking and screaming into the world of popular music. Of course, I have all my classical music too and a few audiobooks you have no interest in at all. But I will sync my computer with your iPod; it'll take you through the rest of the trip for sure."

"You...you'd do that? Give me stuff to listen to so I'm not stuck listening to people arguing on the train?" Paris nodded happily and Lorelai felt tears of joy coming on as she picked up the box off the bed. "I...I know I usually say I turn down big, fancy gifts...but not something like this." She took her nail to the plastic overwrap, tearing it off in record time as she looked over the cubed box in awe. "I'm going to put every song I've ever had on this thing and every time I play it, I'm going to think of you, and it's gonna be awesome!" She let out a squeal, sliding off the cardboard over the actual box and getting that same swell Paris had when she opened her own iPod box on the plane to sync it to her computer, in awe of how everything was packaged. The girl grabbed her Mac and prepared it for the syncing, still a little dizzy on her feet as somehow, computer syncing had become another part of their odd foreplay.

Lorelai examined the sliver and white player with her eyes and her hands, giddy that for once she had a better model than her daughter's, and best of all unmarked with an engraved message from her parents to Rory as part of it being a Christmas gift. Everything about it was perfect to her, and even if Paris had mailed it to her it would've still been a deeply treasured gift. She played with the scroll wheel and Paris thought she was enchanted by the orange glow of the individual buttons and blue light behind the screen, along with manipulating the scroll wheel up and down the menu with merely the edge of her index finger.

She handed off the iPod to Paris as she opened up iTunes and plugged it in, going through the set-up prompts and showing Lorelai all the music she had. She heard a guffaw as she suddenly realized her guilty pleasures were all out there to see for the older woman to make fun of.

"So...what if I like them? You haven't had bands you regret, yet still play every day?"

"No, I just didn't figure you for a New Kids on the Block completionist, Paris," she cracked. "Oooh, Jon Secada? Ahhh, there's an N*SYNC album--"

"You tell anyone," she stuck a finger up in the air, "no sex for a month."

"I'm already not--"

"Yeah, yeah. So I have some terrible taste in music."

"No, not terrible!" She scrolled down the screen with the trackpad. "I can see all the techno here, the _Rocky_ and _Top Gun_ soundtracks are like the biggest duh ever considering how you psych yourself up, and you have your fill of Lilith Fair'ers, which I'm glad you have because I've missed Sarah McLachlan songs in my life." She scrolled up a little when she caught another few names. "Wait, Nine Inch Nails? Yipes!"

"Trent Reznor is good, I'd never admit to my parents I enjoyed him though. Like I've said, I keep a pretty quiet life that I keep behind closed doors. I just don't publicize my enjoyment of boy bands for both my sanity and because I don't want conversation to devolve into which boy is the cutest." She saw Lorelai looking over everything. "I'm surprised you haven't said anything about what you didn't want."

"No, no, put it all on, it'll make the trip interesting to have Natalie Merchant lead into...Daft Punk. Man, I had you totally wrong, thinking you just emulated Lexus commercials on the road, nothing but boring music."

"My father would argue otherwise this summer; my sing-along of Dixie Chicks songs was not well-received." Paris sorted out all the music before coming to the naming screen. "OK, this needs a name. What would you like to christen it as?"

"Name? I get to name my iPod?" Paris was a little surprised as Lorelai's eyes widened in anticipation. "Oh my God, I get to name something of mine and Apple says it's OK? I never get to do that with electronics! My TV's "Lucy", but to JVC it's just a 32" screen with a long name with numbers in it and they don't care I named it, and Comcast refuses to go along with me naming their annoying cable box Sheldon." She looked at the prompt on the screen. "Hmmm..." Her eyes moved towards Paris, who was grinning and bearing her lady's eccentricities.

Suddenly, the blonde had an idea and began typing. "How about...Susannah? Because as you noted, you named Rory as such under a binge of Demerol and her own mangled vocabulary at age two, and it seems to be a perfectly musical name." She typed it in, stopping just before she hit the enter key to confirm her choice.

Lorelai was quiet for a moment, as she settled her hand into Paris's. Shaking her head, she was lost in her mind, wondering how Paris could love her like this when most men couldn't name where the most freckles she had were on her body.

"Hit enter," she said in a whisper. "And know that you're marvelous for having an amazingly beautiful mind which remembers every little bit of what I say." She sighed. "How you can remember that detail from two years ago is a shock."

"I remember everything. But I also care about you, Lor." She began the sync and moved the laptop and iPod onto the ottoman at the end of the bed so the process of syncing could continue. "I know it's a little much, but I heard in your voice; you need a little bit of fun on this trip, even if it involves an iPod."

"Of course, I can claim I was wooed with the iPod by the 'businessman', right?" Paris nodded with Lorelai's throaty laugh. "This has all been worth it. The dinner earlier, heading to the top of the Eiffel Tower at night. Is there anything you can't do?"

The blonde student nodded. "Serve a volleyball over the net? Rory can do it. I just end up bonking the girl in front of me in the head every single time, or when I try to volley it, it ends up stuck in the ceiling." Paris then averted her eyes. "In eighth grade I...even got an entire couple days of gym classes canceled because I bashed out a halogen fixture above the floor with an errant bump. Glass rained down below and everyone had to run in terror before it all hit the floor with the metal grate, which dented the floor."

The innkeeper felt deep sympathy at her lover's misery. "And I say my daughter is untalented at sports. You're actually destructive! No wonder you only took up tennis; the only damage you can cause there is testicular!"

"And I have at that too. 94 mile-an-hour serve right into Linden Trester's chestnuts!" She cringed in pain at the two year memory. "Poor guy went down like Frazier when Ali took him out. That's when I finally learned how to finesse the ball where I wanted, for the health of my opponent."

"You want to see something?" Lorelai hitched up her dress slightly to show where the pin was inserted to heal up her leg. "Yoga accident a few years back. I went for this one position and I overdid it; took out my tibia in the process. These marks aren't ever going to go away and I was laid up for four weeks in Hartford while I healed up." Paris winced as she took in where the leg had broke and was pinned, the skin beneath the black hose whiter than the surrounding flesh.

"Hurt like hell?"

"Worse than childbirth, by miles!" She moved onto another injury memory. "Then at six I cracked my head open taking the curve in my cul-de-sac a little too fast on my Huffy. I still have a scar on my scalp where no hair grows at all. Microscopic, but still, it's there."

Both of them began to open up as Paris shared her own scars. "Right arm, age eleven. Climbed the ladder in the Manor library to the sixth shelf; I was restricted to the third and lower. Tumbled off, braced myself, shattered my wrist. No long-term damage, except I became a forced lefty from the experience. Never could bounce back to my right hand and actually liked my writing better as a southpaw."

Another one on Lorelai's back. "Attempted to get a tattoo there when I was fourteen to declare my love for Chris. Never got in even a line before my father stomped in and told the artist to stop. Not only got a raging staph infection from it, I have a big black dot of leaked ink representing what never got to be an ill-advised decision."

"Oh yeah?" Paris lifted her shirt slightly to show off a small rash below her stomach at her left side which was only visible in the light at a certain angle. "Jewish summer camp, six years back, I was catching. Attempted to win a softball game in the bottom of the seventh by tagging out a runner about to collide with me at the plate; got a foot full of spikes instead. Had to get a tetanus shot outta that one." A little smile. "Fucker was out though, I did win the game, so it's a proud war winning wound."

The game of 'Anything you can injure I can injure worse' continued. "Five years ago, attempted a do-it-myself Brazilian wax with Nads. Accidently tore off a bit of live skin, had to have a mortifying visit to the ER with Sookie."

"I had a bit of exposed underwire on a bra my mother got on clearance in ninth grade. Thought I could gut it out in class," Paris said. "My instructor who discovered I was gushing blood into my shirt thought otherwise. Almost lost consciousness from the deep wound."

Lorelai thought for a moment, amused at their exchange before coming up with what she thought was the topper. "Barbell piercing to impress a guy ten years back. Didn't do a damned thing except send me to the ER with a blood infection. Took it out and have never considered anything pricking my hoo-haw ever again!"

But Paris had one last one to end their tit-for-tat. "Four words; repackaged Care Bears Underoos. Parents did a great job thinking they got away with returning something to Macy's as new and unopened in the package. Who knew it was possible for a four year-old to get a goddamned yeast infection and UTI, combined? I didn't, but there ya go! Hurt like hell for two weeks while I let the treatment go through and could not say one word at all in school. Hell, I never told anyone else not related to me, except you today!"

That was the moment Lorelai knew she had no other wound to boast about. "OK, that's a win for you. Game, set, match! No kid needs **that** in their life!" She shuddered in horror. "How...I didn't know that was possible to close up a package like new!"

"Kid didn't like them after wearing the first pair and their mother had her way with a hot iron and made it convincing that it was still a virgin package. Little did she know she tarnished my virgin package in return." Paris's deadpan tone got to Lorelai, and she nearly choked on her own breath as she let out a shocked gasp. After a few coughs and a slap on the back from Paris she recomposed herself, still cringing from the perfect alliteration.

"Damn it, Par!" she let out. "Why do you have to be so funny?!" She shook her head and brushed hair from her eyes. "I...I feel sorry for you, but now I also feel a kinship because we're both so clumsy and accident-prone!"

"At least we're not at Sookie's state of being a regular at the ER, so there's that. But we are definitely not to be left alone with a pilot light out, that's for sure." She let out a relieved sigh, amazed that at 1:30 in the morning in a hotel room in Paris both her and Lorelai were back on like they only had a small break. "You seem in a much better mood than when you came into the restaurant."

The innkeeper nodded. "Just glad to have time to myself with you being how we are. Some of this stuff I would've never told Max or Chris because they would've teased me mercilessly."

"It helps we had some very good wine to make things interesting." Paris laughed as she caught a glint in Lorelai's eye, moving back on the bed as her skirt again hitched up. "I'm very happy right now."

"Me too." Lorelai looked at her hands, worn down and with uneven nails from not having any time for a proper manicure regimen. "Crap, if I would've known you were coming I'd have evened my nails out."

"Evened them out?" Paris raised her eyebrows, feigning shock. "Why, Ms. Gilmore? What were you planning on doing?"

"Mmm, don't know," she teased. "The dishes, maybe? Or scraping them down a very long chalkboard?"

"I don't really mind. As long as your nails aren't too long I'm fine," she asserted with a whisper. "By the way, I'll be honest. I'm still feeling like I'm on Central time, so I'm not ready to sleep yet."

"I still can't believe you flew from Chicago just to be with me. I've never felt I've been that worth it." The taller woman grimaced, shaking her head. "And from our lack of contact I was...I was beginning to think you were forgetting me and giving up for the summer."

"Not for a moment," Paris responded strongly, taking Lorelai's wrist. "There's no forgetting you, Lor. I've had the best summer of my life, but it just became that way because I was able to see you this evening. I mean, there were guys who did hit on me on the road. Some of them were cute, my type, and there was flirting on my end. But..." She paused. "I consider myself exclusive to you, no matter how ridiculous that does seem. We both knew there was a possibility of falling in love on the road, but--"

Lorelai interrupted her. "Me too. Back in Munich there was this man that was after me for a date. If it was any other time in the world, I may have considered it. But I turned him down, and Rory was pissed that I did because he was indeed, the perfect guy. But he wasn't the perfect woman. Someone who knows me. Who doesn't hold me to what I was at sixteen and just sees me as I am, as this woman still in her prime, not ready to ride off into the sunset. And..." She felt her voice hitch as she held back an urge to cry. "Who, even though she is the last girl in the world to think of their lover in such a way, dressed me in this exquisite dress and lingerie, and indulged my fetish for fine footwear. I mean, I know...I...." She quieted for a moment to wipe tears from her eyes. "I know I say I hate 'that life'. That I don't want to be in it. But I know where you're coming from and that you despise it just as much as I do, but yet, you used it to your advantage, knowing I wanted to come to the City of Lights and be spoiled like this. You did it too, and for that..." She stretched over to peck Paris's right cheek softly. "I will forever be grateful. You took what could've been the shittiest part of this backpacking trip, and instead, left me with memories I will treasure always. And I hope there are more to come."

Paris stared into Lorelai's eyes as she spoke, and felt her heart lift with every word. _It did work out. It worked_ , she thought to herself, thankful that none of her money was spent in vain. She had reasserted herself as the holder of Lorelai's soul with what she did and she began crying too, feeling so unlike herself as Lorelai complimented her. Everything she had thought or dreamed of with Lorelai didn't compare to the reality of the situation, that this mother with the kind soul had somehow opened up to her and allowed her a shoulder to cry on.

"There will be more," she simply responded. "Promise you, there will be." The only sound in the room was the whisper quiet process of the Mac hard drive transferring its music to Susannah's drive as both woman gazed into each other's eyes before Lorelai slid her gaze southward, her entire body wound deep and tight. She pursed her lips, faded of the lipstick of earlier, together, taking in Paris in the silent moment, the promise of more getting to her.

"I..." She shifted closer, her hands shaking in deep need. "Par..." A stumble in her voice. "This is gonna sound crazy, but I...I can't take it anymore." Then a sigh. "Unbutton your top."

Paris nodded. "You do it," she said, encouraging the woman closer as she slid the tail of the blouse out of its tuck. "I can't help it, I know you've been wanting take this off all night. Your hormones haven't been dealt with appropriately in weeks."

Lorelai chuckled, always thrown off, but turned on by Paris's complicated wording. "You ruined me, you know? Not since our last phone sex the night before I left have I had anything resembling an orgasm."

"I can believe that." The blonde confessed calmly to something else. "Whenever I had trouble sleeping I had scent recall and fell asleep like a baby when I remembered our smell post-sex."

"Well, what did you say that afternoon? Teenage boys are controlled by one thing." Lorelai wagged her eyebrows, giving Paris a blatant glance at her breasts. "Looks like it's the same for me."

"Technically...you are still a teenager," Paris noted. "You still act like one, for instance. And you sure have the skin complexion of a teenage girl." She pushed herself out a little more to look just that more alluring to Lorelai. "By the way, I think I undersized a bit. Should've accounted for my turned on state with the bra, because since your little fun on the Tower I've been feeling a little tight."

"You don't think I noticed?" The innkeeper smirked at her. "Honey, when you do yourself up, you look incredible. It's just a pity you had to choose your prom gown with your mother. And take out that dullard in it." Lorelai sighed. "I'm still a bit pissed Rory didn't even bother with Chilton prom. Why she wanted to re-live Stars Hollow with Jess, I haven't been able to figure out."

"Actually, Jess did want to go to Chilton prom," Paris said. "He asked me for ticket information, dress code and everything. But when Rory found out, she went mental on me and told me it was none of my business. Then she told me she was still bitter about how she was treated with Dean when they attended the Winter Formal sophomore year and..."

She paused for a moment, knowing it was privileged information she wasn't to tell anyone, but at this point, she knew her friendship with the younger Gilmore would evaporate by the second week of September once Rory found her new circle of friends. "Don't tell Jess this. Ever. Because he will be hurt, he will be angry, and there will be a fight." She composed herself. "Rory disallowed him to go to Chilton prom out of some ridiculous fear he would throw down with a Chiltonian." Her voice grave, she still felt anger at how Rory made assumptions based on the Jess who came from Brooklyn looking to pick a fight with anyone. "Which is bullshit. You know it, I know it. Since the accident in Dean's deathtrap he's been scared straight and just been mischievous, not felonious. He might not be the best guy in the world, but the boy worked hard in this year to get into BC. He deserved that small little surprise and..."

Stoically, she shook her head, wondering how she was coming off to Lorelai, knowing she wasn't exactly a cheerleader for the Jess/Rory romance. "You have to promise me something when you get back to Connecticut. I just get this scary feeling that Rory is becoming more like Emily than you think. That once she gets to Boston, the kind link of normalcy you have given her by living in Stars Hollow, it's going to disappear. She is going to get to Cambridge with these ambitions and this love for Jess of getting him into Boston College, but once she meets a Harvard man, it's going to fall apart. I...I know I sound crazy. That I'm probably offending you by talking about this. But for me...support the hell out of Jess. Encourage him, send him care packages, even if it's just a bag of Chips Ahoy! because you suck in the kitchen. The reason I didn't like the Princeton idea with Jamie in the first place, was I knew it was going to either be go there and ignore him, or just go all in on a relationship and my grades would suck."

Lorelai didn't know where this was coming from, but it seemed somehow that Paris understood Jess much more than Rory ever did. "I don't want him to be left behind. If Rory does that, the first sign of trouble, please, call me, and we'll figure things out. I mean...don't misunderstand me at all. This is not me confessing I wanted to date Jess. I know we'd never work out just based on our book arguments and economic standing alone. We'd be at it like freakin' Ralph and Alice all the time and subsist on hate sex! But...he's a good friend to me. We don't talk a lot, but I consider my world better with him in it, and yours and Luke's too. I want him to succeed, and I hate that Rory has this helpful need to show him off, but also is ashamed by his social standing."

The dark-haired woman was thrown off track by Paris's sudden track. _We...we just don't know how to have a normal A to B conversation, do we? It's a winding path like the Adirondacks._ Still, she was glad that this came up. To hear that there was another person besides her and Luke rooting for Jess to make himself in the world helped soothe her fears.

"She does talk to him all the time," Lorelai said. "But I know from Luke, the few conversations we've had since I left, that Jess is kind of in the 'I have to talk to Rory or she'll get pissed' mindset when she's online. Otherwise, he has been working himself tired out at the Wal-Mart as much as legally possible and getting plenty of help from his counselor at SHH about the acclimation process. It's been weird...Luke says since Rory's left, he's been completely different. Focused." She laughed lightly. "Sure, he still did put on the Fonzie act at graduation and wore jeans onto the stage and 'whatever'ed his principal when he got his diploma, but he knows this is his fresh start and he wants to make Luke proud of him and defy his mom's predictions he'd be a junkie. I think he's committed to this, but once Rory's back, all bets are off."

"So you're saying you're on my side. You want Jess to succeed. Because I always got the sense--"

"From Rory that I want to disembowel him and make him bleed slowly to death. Very exaggerated." The older woman scoffed. "We get along now. He's doing the lawn and the gutters while I'm away and getting paid well for it. We've come to a truce, although him still calling me 'Ms. Gilmore' gets to me, and I know he treats Rory well. First year and after the accident? Yeah, I didn't like him, but we're better now. My daughter just loves to assert that I hate him because she thinks I have this notion I still revere Dean." She shook her head vehemently. "That couldn't be further from any form of the truth."

"Old ground; Dean is an idiot with a 90's haircut who is bound for lesser things."

"And marriage." Lorelai smiled, relieved she dodged a bullet with him. "He proposed to his new girlfriend Lindsay after graduation, she said yes. Wedding's in December...divorce probably follows in June when they realize the only thing they have in common are pathetic credit reports."

"Marriage out of high school, always a recipe for disaster, especially when you barely know a person." The blonde shifted her skirt to adjust her hose. "I don't know why, but I had this creeping feeling Jamie was going to get down on bended knee at Chilton graduation if we made it that far, and was going to make it nigh impossible to say no to him."

"He would've too," Lorelai theorized. "No doubt about it. You know the Hartford richies, they just love a good high school sweetheart story. Probably even had the ring on him on the boat if he was confident enough you'd go to the Shore on him."

"You know, the more I think about it, the more I'm glad we gave in. I could've been engaged right now to that fool." The wound-up blonde felt relaxed just from knowing that her summer had come mainly because her frustrations had boiled over during the cashbox count. "If not for that second opinion of yours, I...well, I don't even want to think of what goes on at the Jersey Shore this time of year."

"I know what I want to think about," Lorelai sing-songed, moving closer. "You and I, on this bed, making the most of a Parisian getaway, making ourselves happy in this little bubble." She wrinkled her nose with a whimper. "Now, please divest your top and display to me your accoutrements post-haste."

"You...haven't been reading the dictionary for fun this summer, have you?" Paris rolled her eyes while shaking her head. "Lor, you're beginning to scare me a little with your use of large words."

The innkeeper scoffed. "What am I gonna say? 'Show me your tits, hot mama?' That would be rude and crass. You, Paris, are a young woman of refined taste and class, and my compliments to you must reflect how I feel about you."

"Mmm-hmm." Paris gave a questioning glance to her lover, her withering stare this time teasing Lorelai with skepticism. "You actually picture me as Mena Suvari in that one scene in _American Beauty_ , don't you?"

"Are you kidding? That movie is a piece of crap that's already aging horribly! I'm sorry, but if I wanted to see a mid-life crisis I'd just walk down the street and watch Bootsy deal with his. Also? You're not a rose person, which has been made abundantly clear by our garden tour, thus making that entire dream sequence fully fictional should I ever think about you in that manner."

"Not a _Six Feet Under_ fan, I assume then. I never thought I'd find someone in the world who hated Alan Ball's poor excuse for writing like I did."

"Here's how the show happens for me, episode one...the son gets told to come back to the funeral home...'Get bent you miserable goths!' and trudges back home. Show over. Can't even watch it because I really have a phobia of death. You wanna make a weekly series out of that?!" The brunette let out a rough growl. "God, sorry, I just get a little riled up about certain show writers."

"And dying, obviously." She glanced at Lorelai with a pensive glance. "Your cheeks are red. You're all riled up." She hummed a little bit, sliding herself towards the woman who had not left her dreams for weeks. "So...if not rose petals and cheerleading outfits, how do you fantasize about me? Still nothing but knee socks?"

The innkeeper bit her lip, suddenly feeling a red flag as she could tell the younger girl was openly flirting with her, the voice that was usually firm and even hitching up as Paris seemed to notice she was sneaking glances at her cleavage with regularity. "Like I said, not much time to play when I'm stuck in a hostel where undressing myself equals furious masturbation from a multicultural lot of younger guys. Which is why I've been unable to elaborate in email. But, if you're looking for an answer..."

With little surprise, Paris felt herself taken by the waist as Lorelai slipped a hand beneath her blouse to feel her at the same point she had just pointed out her softball injury. "Well, I have had some wet dreams, since nature is taking care of what my fingers haven't when I've been backpacking. When I was in Zurich, it was the rare evening where I didn't have Rory in the same room, and a nice upper corner bunk with a couple of quiet college girls from the South as my neighbors who were off to Nod pretty quick. My brain flipped on a switch and...I had a very good night's sleep thinking about you and I...the Grad Cruise..." She wandered off, feeling a little uncomfortable. "Let's say I completely failed at my chaperoning duties and there was sex involved and Jamie having too much to drink and tipping overboard. He was OK, but well, he created an easy excuse for you to dump him."

"I knew it!" Paris chuckled as she felt Lorelai's other hand finally move along the top of her button line, the tall brunette starting out by teasing her with her index finger along her neck and taking in the silver chain holding her treasured Star of David. "You said the dress was cursed, but it showed me off well."

"That it did. You left it on that hook, along with your bra. It hasn't been able to leave my mind at all. I knew you were vulnerable and bruised at the time, but with distance between, it's become a wonderful memory." She pushed her nail along the chain, then released it before finding the first button. "It was a dress meant to be slid out of so you could make love." Sliding the button from its eye she sucked in a breath as Paris immediately took in a deep breath, forcing the material on each side of the shirt to part. "A pity I was never able to play that out."

"Not a pity. If not for your messy room who knows when we would've had our little fun in there?" She sighed as Lorelai took down a couple more buttons. "It may have never come and been buried under a girly movie night."

"We had ice cream with chocolate syrup. I'm sure it was," Lorelai declared, denying it as she bared more skin with each button taken down. "What if it hadn't? Or you did leave?"

"Not even in any mood to think about it." Paris shook her head strongly. "I would not trade any moment of that night, or the morning after, for anything in the world. I felt just as fetching in your pajama shirt as I did that dress. Don't think about the what could have been with us...just what was, and will be." She felt elegant fingers brush against the outside of her cleavage, Lorelai tracing the swells of her flesh so perfectly and deeply. "And...God...think about the fact if you were on the Grad Cruise you'd have to worry about panty lines, annoying brats ogling you in whatever you wore, adults butting in all the time, actual chaperoning--"

"Shhh, shhh, let me have my 'nothing in my way' fantasy, please!" The hotelier smiled slightly. "I almost did sign up for chaperone duty, except of course it was before we sold the tickets so Rory had me all hyped on how high-strung you were."

"I would've been that night," Paris observed easily. "You probably would've had to hold me back from pushing Jamie into the Sound after the college conversation."

"So all in all, a good thing then." Lorelai finally found her way to the last button of the blouse, licking her lips as she eased the button out. "Wouldn't be here for sure." She pushed aside each side of the blouse to reveal the grey bra encasing her lover's endowments within a secure, yet beautiful package. Despite the dim light of the room and her own inhibited mind she was still cognizant of the reaction she was growing to love when revealing the intellectual's hidden charms, meant only for her.

Possessively she laid a soft kiss upon Paris's upper right breast to assert how she felt for the girl, then rose back up again to take in everything. Paris shirked off the blouse innocently, tossing it softly to the floor and blushing deeply at the way those indigo blue eyes were currently taking her near all in.

Lorelai squinted her eyes to make sure she was indeed looking at Paris in the way she was. With one article off, Paris managed to look stunning looking like she did when getting ready for a date. Her curves were still completely there, but there was something different. She stared in appreciation and smiled.

"You worked off a little weight there," she said, noticing. "A little, not much, but still...it flatters."

Paris nodded softly. "About eight pounds. Honestly, all I need. Just been away from the chefs at the Manor and with a limited need for food over the last few weeks. Even when I was in Boise with Nanny cooking every single day, it seemed to go right through me because I had to run her grandkids over each day to the park a few blocks down. Got the calories off, especially when I had to be on the playground equipment to play with them. Then there was the nine mile hike at Yellowstone and the whitewater trips down the Snake and Salmon. So plenty to do."

"And plenty of sun, I think." She grinned. "Definitely darker than you were before. It's those Sephardic genes, isn't it?" A bit of silence as Paris was confused as to how Lorelai knew her ancestry. Lorelai just shrugged. "What? I actually did listen to you rehearse your ancestry report when you had Rory help you."

"I'll just say I'm glad my bloodline goes back to the Mediterranean region. It's a blessing for sure that I tan so wonderfully." She took in breaths as it seemed Lorelai was enchanted by the rise and fall of her stomach. "You're just glad I'm here, aren't you?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry if I'm being so slow tonight," Lorelai said, apologizing. "I mean--"

"Take your time." Paris took her arm lightly, feeling the hair on it standing prickling on end. "I want it slow. I don't mind it. Tomorrow night, we can rend our garments and do things that would make Laverne and Shirley blush. Besides, I want to relax you to sleep, not cause you to near knock out like we did back at the Manor."

"You want it slow?" Paris nodded, her mouth watering involuntarily at the way Lorelai worded the question. "I can do slow." She laid a kiss on Paris's neck, backing her up towards the heavy dark oak headboard. "Also, sounds delicious to me." The woman sucked in her lip, lightly pinning Paris against the mattress in a loose manner the girl would easily be able to escape from. Paris could feel a big difference in Lorelai's strength right away, even with the light grasp.

"My, grandmother, what strength you have!" she boasted, earning her a throaty giggle from her beloved.

"The better to ravage you with," she whispered. "And please, Trix is my granny. I'm your Lori, so never drop the G-word with me again. There shall be consequences." She wagged her eyebrows, but Paris still knew she meant business.

"Just a little inside joke," she claimed. "Now...we want to take it nice and slow..." She felt herself slowly becoming vertical on the bed, with Lorelai hovering above her. She placed her hands just above Lorelai's ass, and she could feel herself clench at the idea of Lorelai leaving on her Louboutins.

"Slowww...." Lorelai soon moved her lips down to Paris's neck to spark everything up. "Talk time is over. Foreplay is over. It's time for us girls to have a bit of fun."

Paris couldn't let that reference slide by. "A..."She Bop" as it were."

Where Lorelai would have usually doled out a correction as to the actual meaning of said song title, there was no hiding that what Paris said wasn't any accidental in any way. Her memory had caught it in Paris's iTunes library as having the highest play count among the songs of _She's So Unusual_ , so there was no doubt the young woman knew exactly what she was getting at. She just nodded and slid her tongue along the hollow of Paris's throat.

"You're going down," she whispered deeply. "Time After Time." from the deep stare in Lorelai's eyes at her, Paris suddenly felt a thought coming on.

 _Thank goodness I worked out plenty so far this summer_ , she thought to herself. _By the time we're done with these two nights I'm never going to remember why I ever needed a cock in the first pl--_

 __Her thought was short-circuited as her dominant and older partner began to find anew the control over her she asserted against that refrigerator that one hot May Sunday morning.  


* * *

Lorelai had figured that she would be exhausted after her first evening in Paris. It was a big city, after all, with plenty of walking between places and a cityscape that even the Haussmann Plan couldn't completely repair. She expected a guided tour of a point of interest she would just look at the pamphlet for and nod quietly in agreement that it was a good place while Rory stayed in awe over it. She had expected to be sore at the end of this evening.

Only, she didn't expect that soreness to come from slow and sensuous activity with her lovely new paramour within the bounds of the finest hotel in the city.

Where she felt sweat-soaked and miserable coming into the city on the coach, she was now sweat-soaked, but in bliss as Paris had done exactly as she promised, not picking up the pace at all and turning what usually led to harried sex into a long experience which had her humming pleasantly between her legs with every nerve on edge.

Despite the last time where the first encounter they shared in Paris's media room was slow, it was more intended to get her to sleep, with a promise of more to come once her body was able to have a rest. This time it was just them in their moment, alone, nobody bothering them. Paris had gone to the point of pulling out the line cord from the back of the room telephone, and turning off both of their cell phones, cutting off all contact with the world. The room's drapes, so darkened not a sliver of light could slide in at high noon, isolated them in a darkness only interrupted by the reading lamp to the side of the bed, dimmed to about the lowest level where both women could still make each other out.

Their clothing came off at a slow pace, as both women treasured the evening as a chance to explore, having gone past the first uncomfortable steps of finding their groove within their first few encounters. Paris knew she had the luxury of being by herself for near a month and a half, which made self-expression of herself sexually easy, but for Lorelai she knew it would be a bit before she was back to how she usually was. She guided the woman in slow and longing kisses, talking her through small things she remembered about the brunette that had caught Lorelai by surprise. The innkeeper was thankful for the material of the dress which stretched with her perfectly through each position she was guided in by the blonde, though she was shocked to how long it took to convince her to help her out of it.

But she could wait, as Paris soon found out that Lorelai was good with stimulating her without shucking off layers. The older woman was very handsy, running her fingers along her back and almost giddy that the waistband of her pantyhose had pushed up above the waist of her skirt. As she bit Lorelai's lip, a gasp was forced from her throat as she could feel Lor's fingers flirt with the skirt waist and rubbed her ass through the material, which was both unexpectedly sexual and stimulating for her.

"Fuck..." The young woman was surprised; she knew that Lorelai was definitely a woman into legs, but in her explorations of her sexuality, especially with Louise, grew used to loathing hosiery, something the honey-voiced girl had told her was a hindrance to lovemaking. "It's an extra layer," she was told. "If you're gonna go for it with a girl, just dive in and get them off as soon as you can."

It had been a factor that as her and Louise grew hotter and heavier in understanding how they worked, she had switched her uniform preference from wearing hosiery to knee socks to meet her best friend's needs. Even after they had broken it off to pursue the usual heterosexual lines, Paris never went back, only choosing hose when it was meteorologically or aesthetically necessary, or for one of the many Hartford social events, to send a silent message to the boys who wanted her to back off. She was happy bare-legged, and only chose to go with the nude pair Dominique had presented her to both satisfy the clerk's recommendations and to add a line of elegance that would make her look more mature than her 18½ years showed her to be.

She purred though as she felt the contact of Lorelai's hand against hers, holding the material in a light grasp that rubbed against her slightly, just enough to provide just the slightest amount of friction. Even though there was no touch anywhere near her center it was enough to keep her warm. Lorelai kept up the circling rub for a few minutes until a sharp gasp from her lover told her it was time for a cool down. She slid her hand back up neutrally to Paris's back, as they took the first of a few breaks in their passion, though they were not pulling away from each other anytime soon as Paris had her first sexual observation of the night, settling down as her analytical brain took in the new information with a sexual creak from her throat.

Lorelai lit up, knowing she struck a nerve. "So...Supergirl, how was that first go around for you?" Although she felt overdressed, to see her favorite intense student in such a thrown off manner got her warm.

"Well, I now know the appeal of both hose and those long boots you seem to favor." A small giggle. "At first...yes, I thought they were, to use the vernacular, 'hooker boots'. But there's a difference, because the boots you buy are both designed to make you look professional, and lure at the same time."

"Have you been lured before?" Lorelai narrowed her eyes. "Come on, Par. You used the h-word, so certainly there was equalization in some form."

"At first? It was a negative opinion. Currently, just the thought of you in knee-high boots causes my thighs to quiver." She hummed softly, her throat uttering a deep groan as she remembered all of the times she had seen the women when her and Rory had time to study at the inn in Lorelai's back office. "More negative though because I don't see the need for them. I'm fine just in regular shoes, or sneakers."

"This coming from a girl who wore out many pairs of saddle shoes probably."

"Please. Don't remind me." The blonde huffed. "You know the little striptease I had during my college rumination, how I didn't mention those damned things? Because first thing I did was dump them in the kitchen garbage. Never, ever again with them."

"You could handle the uniform but not the shoes?" Paris strongly shook her head.

"No flexibility in them whatsoever, no matter what comfort soles I threw in them. They may have promoted proper posture, but they also inspired so many blisters that the reason I looked forward to summer was solely because I could throw on a loose pair of ASICS and never have to be in agony for three months."

Lorelai nodded in understanding. "If there's one thing Rory was lucky about, it's that she only had to wear them for three years. You had...fourteen, and I had at least ten or eleven years. You don't forget clopping around in those awful things, ever." She wrinkled her forehead and pressed a kiss against the younger woman's chin. "And yet, I put myself through heel torture, go figure."

"Mmm, well I'm not complaining about the shoes I bought today," Paris admitted. "They fit well, everything felt right about them. And I am an etiquette school graduate so I can walk in heels just fine. They're just not my type of shoe, is all. I'm all about comfort. Still..." A little smile across her lips, she narrowed her eyes. "Seeing you look down at my ankles over and over nearly drooling through the evening made it all worth it."

"I wasn't looking," Lorelai suggested innocently. "I was just...making sure...you were safe on your legs. That's all. I didn't want you to fall."

"Whatever keeps your mind at ease there, Wonder Woman." Both women threw themselves back in the bed as she took in the sight of the tall woman in bed covered up by the silk sheet, though not hiding anything as she was still in her underwear, the dress carefully hung up to the side on a pull of the dresser to keep it stiff and beautiful. "Didn't want me to fall, hmm?"

"OK, the ink always catches me," Lorelai admitted. "Paris Gellar, a tattoo girl. Next you're going to say you got something pierced!"

"Well..."

"No, don't tell me--" Lorelai threw her head back. "Par, don't tell me you regret it."

"I can't regret something I didn't do...yet. I thought a belly piercing, but then I was like, when do I show off my stomach, so I didn't. But I did take your advice and look up a few of those places Sookie recommended. The one she went to in Uncasville where the piercer knows her stuff, especially when it comes to the people streaming out of Mohegan Sun? I was planning to get my nose done there when I got home...well, it would have been today, but obviously I will have to reschedule."

"So you're going for it?" Paris nodded.

"I've had nearly boiling water thrown at me by a geyser, survived river rapids and managed to get a mountain or two climbed this summer. Oh, and my nanny's niece Marina said I'd look pretty with one. Don't want to be a disappointing aunt now, do we?" The student smiled at the memories of helping her nanny start her second life. "That way when I do get home I have heal time before I start school and I won't be playing with it every five minutes in class making the baseball players think I want them to steal second every time I itch it."

"Did I convince you of it?"

Paris gave Lorelai a thoughtful glance and answered. "Definitely one of the factors. I would have put it back off had you not defended my getting the first one. I live and learn, so I think the second should be a little less stressful and scarring."

"I'm glad I could convince you to go through with your Harvard rebellion, if only it was a little late." The tired innkeeper yawned slightly, the bed getting to her as she felt the stresses of the last month melt away upon the soft mattress. "This bed is way too comfy, you know." She wondered if Paris would be disappointed if the night had to come to a sudden conclusion.

"You need sleep, don't you?" Lorelai nodded, scared to say anything that might be construed as ruining the night, though the blonde knew her. "Lorelai?"

"Well, I know I want to, but...you came here from Denver. I can't just fall asleep on you! Not when you've spent who knows what on getting here and then all of this. It only seems fair--"

"Shhhh..." Paris suddenly put her finger to Lorelai's lips. "You want sleep?" Though Lorelai's body craved some way to relieve her stress with her lover, her brain was begging for a recharge that only a deep sleep could provide. "Look, I'm fine. I am not a woman who needs constant lovemaking to get through the day. You got me earlier already."

"I know. I just don't want you to feel down or anything though."

"Hey, I'm not down that I can't have you tonight! I'm just glad to be here, with you, alone, in the same bed." Paris rolled her eyes a bit. "If you're tired, I want you to sleep to feel better. Get your energy back and use this opportunity of being in a five-star hotel to take advantage of the comfortable bed. I am not going to get mad just because I won't be able to turnabout."

"That's the thing, I do want turnabout. But I also don't want to ruin things by having foreplay turn into me going to sleep on you before we get into the dirty stuff." The brunette groaned. "Damn it, we talk too much--"

"Lor," Paris said with a tone of warning in her voice. "I'm glad for the long talk. But again, I can wait to have a little time with you intimately. We have a lot of time yet." She brushed her fingers against Lorelai's shoulder. "I'm worn out too. My foot still feels like lead from taking way too much advantage of the loose speed limits in the west, and of course I did have a much longer flight than usual here. Chicago adds on two, three hours to flying out of Kennedy or Boston."

"So...if I went to bed now, what would you say?"

Paris smiled. "I would say, goodnight, Lorelai, and I am glad to be here for you, and I will see you fresh and perky in the morning for our ten o'clock wakeup call from the front desk."

"And I would say..." Lorelai blushed shyly, "you sure I'm only your second relationship? Because you have more game with me than Usher."

"Game?" Paris gave Lorelai a confused look. "What game? Monopoly, Scrabble, Pop-o-Matic Trouble? I have more of a game than an usher? What does a person who guides you to your seat have to do with games?"

Lorelai was thrown off, but not completely surprised. "Uhh, I was...saying...um, you're a..." She attempted to think of an example when one finally came to her after a confusing twenty second pause. "You're a smooth operator. Game being 'wooing skills' and Usher is a hip-hop artist."

"The guy Louise was obsessed with who wears tank shirts and has too many songs on the radio? That guy?" Lorelai nodded. "Ohh, so what you're saying is..." A pause. "I know how to woo you."

"Oh lord, we have a winner!" Lorelai cried in relief. "We really need to expand your pop culture reference pool if I'm ahead of you in getting what's with the kids these days. Do you even know about Britney and Christina?"

"Only about how terrible the former is and the latter is wasting too many career opportunities. My iTunes collection should have clued you into that."

"Truly, to MTV you are but a vacuum that cannot be penetrated."

"I have it blocked on my satellite. I refuse to have myself associated with them in any way." She laid back along her side in the bed, feeling very light and relieved to see that Lorelai's worry lines seemed to be disappearing before her eyes. "Seriously, I have no problem if you sleep. You look like you need it. As long as we get to bed in the next half-hour we shall still be within National Sleep Foundation guide--" She suddenly stopped herself and gave herself a face palm. "Oh God. I didn't just talk nerdy to you, did I?"

Lorelai laughed out loud as Paris catching herself. "You're in Mensa, I didn't expect any less, hon." She wandered her gaze down along the younger woman's stomach. "Mmm, I love having genius sex. It's so much more cerebral and...knowing."

"Knowing?" Lorelai nodded at Paris's perplexion. "I don't understand that."

"Because you know your way. You're slow, with a certain method about getting to lovemaking eventually." She pursed her lips together. "You've admitted to me you've stretched out an orgasm for hours, so it's only natural."

"Days, if I'm going to be honest." The blonde displayed a deep blush. "With the way my life is, my focus on things, there are times where my mind just doesn't spark up any kind of need for stimulation. Sounds odd, but when you're deep in a study or a cram session you just push off every single need or want possible. I'll even admit to having to race to the restroom quite a few times after going eight hours without a break."

"Well, you're devoted, it's understandable." Lorelai moved her hand alongside Paris's stomach, feeling a little bit of renewal. "For me, there's just times where I want to have sex, but it's just not there to be had. So I have to make do, or I just read a trade publication and push it out of my mind. I guess I'm tuned to have it, ready or not, but I get these ebbs and flows where the last thing I need is any kind of loving."

"Honestly, with Jamie, I never did feel that need," Paris shared. "It just didn't want to happen and I had to push myself to think 'yeah, this is good, I can grow to enjoy this'. But then...the classroom." A short laugh of mirth slid from her throat. "It ruined me. Like, going home after we broke apart on our own and then I got outside and wondered why the breeze beneath my skirt was stronger than usual." The blonde shuddered in delight. "We basically set aside years of misconceptions and so many other things in those minutes that I knew I was going to feel for a long time, even if we never did come together again."

"Definitely the same feelings here too." The brunette innkeeper dared to use her other hand to clench Paris lightly. "And then when I went wild with you against the fridge, I don't think I've felt that purely sexual in years. In the morning, looking the way you did...that elegant little baring of a shoulder? I just felt this...thing inside of me that wanted to...to..."

Her voice lowered, the tone taking on a slight bit of guilt. "I felt like I wanted to make my mark on you because I didn't have to keep you all clean for Jamie anymore." She realized what she said. "Please don't take offense--"

"Mmmm, do I look like I'm angry with you, Lor?" She stared directly at the woman, the dimness of the room electrifying how she felt. "The human body knows how to heal from a little rough play. I'm a big girl with a big girl brain, and if I didn't want to be fingered against your fridge I would have told you long in advance." The petite blonde's tone was getting heated. "You'd know if I was uncomfortable, trust me. I have a good tolerance; you should see me after I have a six-hour session with myself. I'm just the type of woman who will test herself to limits most girls only think exist in romance novels."

"So you're not mad?" Paris hummed a 'no' as Lorelai felt relieved as she let herself relax. "I'm still all new at this...wooing a woman...especially one your age."

The blonde scoffed at how Lorelai lightened it up. "We're both all new at this and you've done a pretty good job of it." She noticed Lorelai trying to stifle a yawn, hiding it well but still noticeable. "You need to sleep though."

"No...sleep," Lorelai denied, even as her eyelids drooped halfway to hood half her pupils. "I can stay up."

"Come on, turn around. I need to unhook you." She tapped at Lorelai's arms to encourage the woman. "Lor, you can't possibly sleep in that thing."

"Wanna bet?" she answered, to a stiffened scoff by the younger woman. "I can!"

"You've been wincing all night, I saw it, and your multiple adjustments."

"Hey, you've been playing 'tweak and adjust theater' all night yourself, missy!"

"I have an excuse! I'm much more...loaded." The blonde thought to herself for a moment. _I'm trying to argue Lorelai into taking her bra off? I really am on another continent._ "Plus you felt me up before!"

"I've slept in my underwear multiple times. I even did it when I was breast-feeding, Par. I think I can handle staying in here for another few hours." She smirked. "Besides, I know exactly what you want to do."

"No?"

Lorelai nodded softly. "And, I'm not going to say another word." She brought Paris close and kissed her. "Remember, you did say you wouldn't argue about me sleeping, so...night, Par."

The flustered college freshman noticed the glint in Lorelai's eyes that suggested she did want to rest, but the seduction game between them certainly wasn't over. She nodded, knowing despite starting off the domino effect, Lorelai could easily place her heel between two of them and stop the inevitable to meet her own needs. _Besides_ , Paris thought to herself, _I know I have the next volley. She's anticipating of it, needy of it. And I'm certainly not objecting right now._ Her mouth had watered all night at the sight of Lorelai's curves presented to her both in and out of the little black dress. The light scent of her perfume mixed with arousal and perspiration was also able to calm the beast within her, needy of the woman she had so chivalrously given up for the last month.

"No arguments," she whispered softly. "I need to shut down my computer after the sync anyways." She got up from the bed, her body tingling at the loss of contact. "Goodnight." With a kiss to Lorelai's forehead, their first night back together was over. Lorelai fell asleep within mere minutes as Paris moved her computer to the writing desk near the window where the data port was, sending of a couple of quick emails to her parents to assure them that she was well across the Atlantic from them.

It had been a whirlwind couple of nights for her. She still felt like it was all a dream, that Lorelai wasn't in a hotel room with her in the center of the City of Lights, nor that she had created a date night that would now set a bar so high for anyone else wanting to date her that it was impossible to top. She mindlessly tapped out her cover story of a week's break from everything as she went through both emails, glad to find that her personal banker hadn't put a flag on her accounts for the sudden surge in activity. Soon both had been sent and she was walking around the room, slipping off her hose and rolling them into a ball while gasping at the contact of her fingers with her waist as she slid them beneath the layer of lingerie holding her back from nudity. She slipped on the complimentary silk robe offered with the room and headed out onto the balcony overlooking the courtyard. Though every Parisian vacationer's dream was to have a view of the tower, the girl was glad for the privacy of a room which had the natural coolness and solitude of a courtyard view.

Closing her eyes, she let herself relax on the lounge chair on the small deck which barely had room for much more than three people.

 _It's been a revealing night_ , she thought to herself, the cool air brushing against her cheek and sneaking beneath the robe, up her thighs before sneaking along her underwear to send her into a gasp she didn't even know she could utter. _Everything came together better than I could have expected when this idea suddenly germinated like kudzu in Atlanta._ She was still shuddering from the contact she felt in bed with Lorelai, feeling driven to her limits and then let down gently before the night could reach its peak.

If anyone had done that with her, even Tristan in the worst part of her infatuation with him, it may have ended in an ugly manner with an argument and profanities for leaving her hanging. Lorelai...she was a much different story.

Lazily, she let one side of the robe fall to expose a leg to the early morning air. She thought about how she would pay back Lorelai, but had assumed it would eventually lead to sex in bed. It hadn't ended up that way, however. She knew Lorelai would need sleep, but the video mail of her travels had showed that a long sleep was actually needed and the brunette was thankful for a mattress not manufactured in the same line as that of a prisoner or mental health facility.

Everything about her Paris trip had been deeply stimulating. From the glances of Dominique as the young clerk helped her with her wardrobe and the help to get her European sizes just right, to how a good heel, rather than repulse her as if she was playing with a Barbie, made her feel like the seductress never seen in years previous, the young woman hardly felt like the silly girl who went wild over spiked hair and muscles like she did years before with her first love.

And in the rear view? The awkwardness of those 'seven months of what the hell', where she couldn't trace one reason she wanted Jamie Pratt outside of him saying he loved her or punched her v-card. Everything had perplexed her about the relationship, from meeting his parents and friends to his pleas to attend Princeton, along with his idea of romance which hardly matched hers.

 _Louise ruined me_ , she surmised, going back a few years to her experimentation when she knew she would always be more of a lover of women. If not for Louise she knew that Lorelai would've just been yet another Chilton mom she'd barely notice in any way and would not have found attractive.

She laughed to herself, the thought completely absurd. She had heard Headmaster Charleston, a man happily married to his wife of 35 years declare once in a teacher's lounge meeting she eavesdropped on about 'the fetching and infuriating Ms. Gilmore', and the cranky old chemistry instructor Mr. Weinemann declare the same.

Even Ms. Peters had declared once it had been a 'pleasure' to deal with Lorelai when she submitted an ad for the Independence before the fire in the _Franklin_ , with the word said in a way that suggested the woman would dump her girlfriend of ten years for a mere shot at the hotelier if she wasn't deeply in love with the woman.

Then there was the innate jealously she felt for Max Medina she had never been able to explain until she realized her feelings for Lorelai selling Grad Night tickets. She knew now with so much hindsight that her spreading of gossip wasn't to annoy Rory (though it was a definite bonus) or distract from the divorce, but her mind's odd way of making sure Lorelai remained unclaimed and unmarried by the time she graduated.

 _I am really applying a retcon to this, aren't I? Man, I'm in this deep._ The girl would never admit her free nights of reading _Xena_ and _Guiding Light_ fanfiction to any one, ever, along with a few very anonymous forays into that world of writing, but she knew the language of fanfic well. She also knew she never read anything below an R.

But Paris knew she could finally justify her crush on Lorelai into some kind of love that was growing deeper every day and night. It had been beyond absurd to think it, but somehow, being around the woman for the last three years had rubbed off on her and brought her into a need to know the woman as more than she was on the surface.

She felt a chill slide up her body from a breeze circulating through the courtyard. With a smile she got up from the lounge, taking in a deep breath as she slid back into the room with a slow close of the patio door, then a soft click of the lock. She tossed back her hair, still loving that the few inches she cut off actually made a 'toss' a little more elegant and less messy than it had been when it was down to the middle of her back. She slid off the robe, hanging it off the bedpost, then shucked off her hose, sliding back beneath the covers still in her underwear to match Lorelai. Soon she had curled up in the bed with Lorelai behind her, prepared to sleep...

Only to hit on some unconscious need on Lorelai's side. She was surprised as the tall woman suddenly shifted behind her, sensing her presence and her heat as the air conditioning seemed to be stronger than Paris thought when she was thinly dressed as she was. Soon she felt strong arms around her stomach and found the sleeping brunette snoozing in her ear, her breath warming the back of her head with breath. She stiffened at the touch and sighed, her lip shaking as she realized even in sleep, Lorelai was definitely a cuddler.

Their other times, both had just been exhausted by lovemaking when they fell asleep. This to Paris was...comforting. Despite the night seeming to lead towards sex, it had not and she was still more than satisfied with all that went on. Her body was well settled and though she knew Lorelai would likely need her as soon as she felt up to it, there was an intimacy she hadn't known before between them. Feeling Lorelai's mound settle against her butt, she felt herself calm, settled and ready for a good night's rest.

Clasping Lorelai's hand with hers, she bent down to apply a soft kiss to her lover's knuckles before settling the guarding hand back against her stomach.

"Night, Lor. I love you," she whispered, not sure if Lorelai heard her in the waking world, but knew she would know so in sleep.

Soon, the young blonde woman was asleep, the day ahead and her plans spinning in her mind, hopes that the woman who had her heart would see it as romantic, rather than too much. She shakily set aside thoughts that it would be too formal.

But as she lost her last thread to consciousness, she already knew it would be an interesting day to come, no matter which direction it went in. With this day over, she could finally know that Lorelai would be there with her, no matter what.  


* * *

Lorelai blinked her eyes open as the sun came through a thin line in the light-blocking blinds of the room. She cringed as it hit her eyes in a burst of red as her consciousness finally pushed her out of what had been the deepest sleep for her since she left home.

It was an unwelcome interruption to her, as she had been dreaming of Paris and her back at the Manor having another night there. This time, it was in the guest cottage with the old-fashioned porch she had found Paris on when she went out to find her. She imagined it as a three-room setting with a beautiful living room and a cozy upstairs bedroom space and having her blonde temptress guide her up having a sort of cynical spin on Dorothy Gale in a dark red dress that went with her eyes. She had been deeply relaxed as her dream self made love with the figment that was Paris in her dream, an image of the girl wearing vintage lingerie beneath her classic dress. She was pleased to have actually reached an orgasm with her in this lovemaking, a rarity in a dream world where a meowing clock usually interrupted her just as her pelvic muscles began their preparatory clench. This time she woke up as Paris gave her ass a flirty squeeze and she popped her eyes open.

Not remembering her bearings, she grumped at the frustration of another hostel sleep as she batted her curls out of her face.

"I wish she was really here," she whispered to herself, slowly willing herself up. Still used to the smaller bed of the hostel she rolled over expecting to land her feet on the floor or dangle them over the bunk.

Instead, she found her legs blocked. "Damn it," she grumped, and prepared to lift her legs higher...

Before she realized that she was in no bunk. And there was much more bed than expected.

Along with a certain dreamy blonde, whose back was turned to her, still softly snoozing through the morning.

"Ooooh. Oh, yeah." Lorelai's mind quickly reminded her of the events of last night. She felt a smile on her lips recalling many of the things that took awhile from her consumption of alcohol to remember. _It is true, I had dinner with Paris last night. Then I gave her dessert._ She smirked at the memory of the girl wrapped around in her arms as she blatantly felt her up on the Tower.

One of the effects of the wine though was a bladder that was stinging deeply, throbbing and begging for emptying. Lorelai cringed, not wanting to leave the warmth of the bed in the chilly room, but knowing that she would have to.

She also felt an unexpected sting against her breasts. _Come on, I know I'm not seven months knocked up_ , she thought to herself. _I only felt that before when I was feeding or..._

 __Her lip lowered as she realized a couple of things. She moved her hand over to her breast and winced as she felt the flesh was more tender than usual. A mere touch with her fingernail had made her gasp.

The second item was a little more apparent. She had expected to push down a bra cup to feel around her nipple, only to find no material whatsoever. She searched around for her bra furiously trying not to disturb Paris.

Just as she wondered if a lingerie thief was somehow on the loose in the hotel, her eyes caught an odd sight on the lamp on the nightstand.

There was her bra, along with Paris's hanging from the finial of the lamp.

She then made one more discovery as she broke apart from Paris to use the bathroom. She felt clammy and discovered that her panties were down around her thighs. Closing her eyes in shock, she wondered if Paris was in the same state. She peeked below the blankets to see.

The widened shock in her eyes at seeing her lover sans underwear was enough for her to feel a rising heat in her cheeks.

"Hoooooly shit!" She said in the softest voice she could. "Shit, shit, shit. That dream sex I had was sleeping sex!" She quickly got up, shrugging down her underwear the rest of the way as she rolled into what she suspected was a wet spot that had resulted from her orgasm. "I...I had sex. When I was asleep. And she was too!" She tossed on the robe left on the bedpost, feeling more than hot as she raced into the bathroom to look into the mirror before using the bathroom wondering if it was true.

She looked at her reflection and immediately she knew indeed that her fun in the cottage ended up in the bed of the Crillon. "Oh God, I'm glowing. I am glowing like I did something slutty," she said to herself, a blush in her cheeks and her hair all out of sorts. "I knew it felt so real, so deep. I felt the clench but I didn't wake up and..."

The innkeeper sucked in her lip, looking at herself and feeling both like she wanted to lecture her dream side to keep her legs shut and indulge in it. "I am a dream slut. That, or I'm catching that girl's quirkiness somehow." Afraid to see the result, she slowly bared her tender breast, curious to see what had happened to make it feel that way. Opening the robe she expected at most that there was just too much weight put on it in the post-afterglow.

Lorelai Gilmore had indulged in rough sex before. She especially loved hair-pulling and fucking so good that she had to keep her legs closed all day, the pressure too much for her.

As she glanced her left nipple however, she knew this was more than rough sex, or even dream sex.

Asleep, her and Paris had made love in a way that had actually bruised her breast, leaving a dark purple mark just above her nipple, along with the remnants of some bite marks left along the flesh. She felt her own teeth were sort of numb also, a suggestion that she had partaken in some biting and nipping of her own, along with the lingering taste of Paris's fragrance in her mouth.

She slid off the robe and sat on the toilet to relieve herself, noticing that her lady-like spreading felt a little more pleasurable than usual as she closed her eyes and let it flow.

Somehow it was actually the most relieving emptying she had for some time. Having used facilities of questionable cleanliness for weeks, to use a clean toilet and to have plenty of wine to cleanse her system was a relief to Lorelai, along with the use of a bidet. She looked down at herself, noting a couple more bruises along the top of her arm and a bit of a red mark along her right leg.

"I didn't know it was possible for me to have a wet dream," she cracked as she finished up, getting up and wondering what to do next. She didn't even know what time it was, much less what her and Paris's full mindsets were. She felt overly relaxed, a change of pace from the last few days on the way to Paris where everything had been stressing her out.

Finally however, she decided that the next course of action was probably a nice and hot shower in the multiple spray unit in the corner of the room. She shrugged, wondering how her clothes situation was going to be remedied later since there was no way Paris would allow her back in the clothes she came in wearing yesterday, and turned on the shower, uttering a little squeal at how the hot water came on within two seconds of the shower coming on. _Definitely seeing if I can get a few tricks of the trade here_ , she thought as she stepped in, looking at the array of full-sized shampoo, conditioner and body wash bottle resting on the shelf on the other side of the unit.

She closed her eyes and quickly let her hair soak up the water, wondering what the day had in store for her. She also kept recalling her dream come in bed and how real it felt to her, a prickle of anticipation between her legs.  


* * *

Paris felt an emptiness against her.

It was odd. She knew Lorelai had been against her all night, spooning against her, and then later she found herself in a tangled embrace when she slid out of bed around four to use the bathroom quickly. The blonde was surprised in the fog of her sleep of being brought against the woman suddenly, and now to wake up in bed, without her...

And without clothes.

She reeled back, suddenly noticing her toes were tangled in silk, her panties down below her feet. Then tilting her head over, she found her bra on the lamp.

The way she had discovered her dream loving with Lorelai wasn't unusual to Paris at all. There had been many a night where the young woman had fallen asleep in her uniform shirt to find it open in the morning when she awoke, tangled around her shoulders. Her sleep talking also manifested sleep fantasies, and she knew it was normal for her to put off sexual self-pleasure for days to have it all expelled through her rest.

This was different however. She felt sort of mortified for having ended up nude in her sleep. She slumped in the bed as she slid back on the pillow.

"How the hell did I get my bra off?" she wondered to herself. "I was barely able to get **in** it, I should've been awake trying to get it--"

It was then her hand landed in a certain place in the mattress she knew would basically seal her purchase of the bedclothes due to her mortification.

"That answers that," Paris said in a tone that suggested the odd dream she had of her and Lorelai in the garden cottage had somehow played itself out in real life. She bent down in the bed to grab her underwear from the foot at the bed to set at the side of the bed and just that action made her feel winded and reminded her that the hum between her legs was still strong.

"Damn my abnormal sex drive," she grumped, getting out of the bed. Her hair was ruffled heavily, blonde tendrils left on the pillow as she knew despite their sleep, her and Lorelai somehow had a deeply amorous dream that had nearly left the bed in a tatters. She looked over at the clock, hoping it wasn't too late in the day as no alarm had been set. Her breath caught slightly as she panicked for a moment before the numbers came into focus. 9:34 am. Not too early, or late.

She licked her lips and knew immediately that she needed to get motivated. First though, she needed some time in the bathroom, and hopefully she could find Lorelai. Getting up, she pawed for the robe, only to not find it at all within her grasp.

 _I knew it was here_ , she thought to herself, turning over the blankets quickly to make sure she didn't fall asleep in it, even though she knew she hadn't. Frustrated she finally just shrugged and gave up, not wanting to search much longer when she had so much to do to get ready.

Going over a list in her head Paris reminded herself the 'do not disturb' hangtag was on the door and soon was up and with a lack of clothes, made up the bed to be somewhat neat. She then headed over to the room's coffeemaker on the side which was thankfully for her a K-Cup dispenser she couldn't make a bad cup of coffee with unless she somehow flooded the machine. Pouring in a bottle of water from the room's fridge she began the brewing process, hopeful that when Lorelai got back into the room from where she was she would be appreciative for the help.

With most of the particulars of preparing for the morning finished, there was one more to take care of. She headed for the bathroom, ready for a long and hot shower. Though she wasn't as bad off as poor Lorelai, the toll of having some kind of noisemaking device in a few truck stop shower stalls had frazzled the young woman a bit despite nothing coming out of any of her experiences.

As she prepared to open the door however, she noticed that it was locked, trying to twist the knob but not finding any give. She had used the bathroom a few hours before and didn't need it immediately, but also knew she didn't want to interrupt Lorelai's time in the shower with a need for lovemaking.

Paris resigned herself to not being able to give an immediate morning delight to her lover. "Well, no shower sex today," she grumbled, but quickly recovered as she left Lorelai to her business and instead went into her drawer to open her luggage and grabbed something to wear. Her most comfortable set of underwear, a loose grey cotton bra with a pair of grey pinstripe Gap boyshorts she usually reserved for Saturday lounging while getting a project done, when the Manor staff proved their mettle by getting her everything she needed to survive staying solely in her room and private bathroom for an entire weekend, when she never changed out of her comfortable sleep shirt.

She knew she would need to wear it because of the plans for the day. Hooking her bra into place on the loosest clasp, she felt relieved that she didn't have to deal with heels or breast symmetry on this day. She rushed through her activities before throwing on a basic tank top she had found in a thrift store with the famous white outlined block "oval Y" logo of Yale across the front, a worn shirt she prized because of both how it fit and that it indeed felt like it was well cared for by a previous Yalie, feeling well broken in. Pairing it with a pair of Calvin Klein jeans broken in and faded from dark blue to a light indigo through three years, she felt both sexy and relaxed, a rare feeling for a girl who usually tried to blend in and keep herself hidden as much as possible.

Listening for clues in the shower, Paris knew Lorelai would take awhile in the bathroom, long enough for her to look at the menu for breakfast. She scrolled through, quickly determining what exactly she wanted, and knowing she could afford to be a little demanding of the hotel's kitchen. Excitedly, she picked up the phone and dialed out to room service.

 _"Il s'agit de la réception, je suis Dominique. Comment puis-je aider?_ "

Paris was relieved to hear a familiar voice on the line. " _Bonjour, Dominique, c'est Paris Gellar dans la suite 653. Puis-je utiliser l'anglais?_ " She knew her pleasant voice would give the desk clerk a little bit of a pick-me-up.

"Of course. Good morning, Miss Gellar. Are you finding everything to your satisfaction?" the clerk asked cheerfully.

"More than that, thank you for asking."

"As we are speaking of satisfaction, how was the woman you were meeting last night?" Dominique asked, probing. "I found her to have pleasing and friendly aesthetics."

"It was a good night," Paris said softly, her voice soft. "She is here with me now. Although she was more tired from her travels so we talked until we went to bed. I am hoping for more today."

Dominique was pleased to hear her most important guest was feeling wonderful. "That is good. I suppose I may discard your wake-up call coming shortly?"

"Please do, and I would like a breakfast rolled up here, please." She read off the menu. "For Ms. Gilmore she would like your freshly made Belgian waffles made with the imported chocolate chips, topped with chocolate sauce with Vermont syrup on the side. Fruit salad, two scrambled eggs, American-style fried potatoes, three slices of bacon, and a glass of orange juice, along with a buttered croissant."

The desk clerk furiously typed up the details of the order. "Oh my! I thought Ms. Gilmore was a thin woman?"

"She is, with a furnace in her stomach and the appetite to match! You should see her when she's at home; she has eaten a full pizza with the works. It's amazing how she can enjoy food and stay so slim. I try it and I feel it in the morning."

"Certainly, Ms. Gilmore sounds like a conundrum."

"I would have to agree," Paris said before stating her own order. "I'll go a bit more lighter; I'm ordering heavy because Lorelai is backpacking across the continent, while I've had plenty to eat on the road. Sliced peaches, a baguette buttered with blackberry preserves, a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios, and a cup of strong black tea with half a packet of sugar substitute."

"American cereal?" Dominique pretended to scoff. "Surely you can spoil yourself."

"I will later in the week, but for now I have plans for today and I might want a little time for dessert," she hinted in her deadpan manner. "If I could have it in the next twenty minutes?"

"It will be arranged, Miss Gellar." Dominique finished the order, sending it on the way to the kitchen. "I hear in your voice that you're in a very good mood."

"A mood that would be improved if you were to wheel the delivery up. I know it's not part of your usual work, but I'll make it worth your while. €50 worth."

"If I could have another glance at your partner it would most please me also," Dominique hinted softly, perking Paris up.

"'Friendly aesthetics', huh?" She looked towards the bathroom door, the blonde shaking her head and smiling. "You now understand my attraction to her, don't you?"

Dominique capitulated, thankful that Paris was playful. "She also has strong thighs."

"I'm so pleased I can trust you," Paris said, remembering their talking as Dominique helped her with her shopping. "I shall see you shortly then. Ignore the tag, it's just to keep housekeeping from bumping in yet."

"Certainly, Miss Gellar. See you shortly." The two younger women disconnected as Paris felt thankful her small fear that Michel had evil and snarky siblings working at Paris hotels had proven false and Dominique turned out to be a clerk she could trust deeply with everything.

Paris felt her energy pick up and poured Lorelai her cup of coffee, ready for what was sure to be a day filled with fun, clothed or otherwise. The weather had looked to be beautiful with only a few cirrus clouds in sight and a pleasant temperature, and the forecast she had seen on Euronews had proven to be true. It was sure to be a comfortable day, and hopefully Lorelai would feel the same.

She grabbed the outfit she had purchased from Lorelai from a bag she had hid in the room's small closet and began to lay it out in the closet on a hanger. What guilt she did feel for treating Lorelai as a human Barbie doll was buffeted by the excitement of picking out something to wear for the woman whose body she had begun to memorize like it was second nature.

 _Also, I get to take it off later on_ , she thought to herself, a warmth in her chest at what had become her 'happy place' of helping Lorelai disrobing. It was something that made her feel somewhat dorky for getting excited about. She clutched her hand to her heart, shaking her head and having a little laugh as she opened the door to check for a complimentary newspaper, which turned out to be the _International Herald-Tribune_.

"Oh, thank God. These people don't assume I need pretty colors and summarized news," she said, having tired of _USA Today_ seeming to be an inescapable presence at every place she had stayed. She opened up the patio door to let some air in and got comfy in the little eating nook in the corner of the room to catch up on the news, awaiting both breakfast and Lorelai.  


* * *

Lorelai had not woken up this way since the day she departed for Boston.

Even the first morning in Europe she was already dragging, whether it was the unfamiliarity of a foreign bed, jet lag or just some other factor, she hadn't woken well from bed for the longest time. The wait in line for a shower, terrible coffee, Rory telling her they had to motivate to get to yet another landmark commemorating another needless war, it all combined to make her feel completely annoyed at the world and it took until 1pm local time to finally feel fully awake.

So it was a miracle that near ten in the morning she was ready to run a marathon if Paris asked her to. A piping hot shower with actual toiletries and a bath scrub that stripped away layers of dirt and skin had been just what she needed to get back on the horse again. Even as she got out of the shower after a half-hour, it felt as if she could stay in there all day until she was but a prune with four limbs. Everything felt good, and Lorelai Gilmore felt rejuvenated as she stepped out.

The first night with Paris had reminded her that she came to Europe for fun, not this 'educational field trip' Rory had turned it into. She squealed in delight at the sight of a curling iron to get her hair into some control and wondered how else Paris could amaze her in this mini-oasis that was this hotel room. She spent her time getting ready, but for the first time in awhile she felt wonderful enough to skip the foundation and concealer step in her makeup regimen as of late.

She looked over everything as she slipped on her robe and had to smile. Her mood was a complete 180° from how she had felt on the bus over and she felt like how she usually did, peppy and cheerful.

"I wonder if she's up yet," she asked to herself, curious to see how long Paris could go sleeping when there was no true schedule to follow. Toweling herself further she made sure to go over everything, not sure when she'd have a luxurious shower like this until she got back home.

She rubbed at her back, then down to her rear before finishing up and hanging the towel back up, slipping into the silk robe and brushing her hair to sort out the loosened hair she had been unable to separate from her mane due to her own travel brush proving unacceptable within a couple weeks, then using the room's hair dryer on the low setting as she knew from experiences relayed by her guests about the differences between American and overseas electric plugs that she might ruin her hair for just putting the dryer on high. Using the luxurious brush provided by the hotel itself she was relieved that she only had found a few strands ended up in the brush rather than the many that she feared. She ran through the bristles until everything felt smoothed out and her ringlets were completely brought out, cascading down her neck, making her feel almost comfortable to pull off a _Charlie's Angels_ gun pose with the brush in the mirror.

Almost. Instead she laughed and nearly skipped her way to the door, tying the robe completely and preparing herself for the day to come. She turned the lock to unclick it, holding her hand at her heart and shaking her head, remembering the now comedic moment when Max had her against his brick wall and how she was stuck in slacks for the next two weeks.

She wrinkled her nose and giggled, looking down at bruises that would thankfully heal and be seen by few. "These are better," she told herself. "And they'll keep me sane at least for a few more weeks when I miss her." With a wistful sigh, she twisted the doorknob, ready for whatever complicated day Paris had planned for her.  


* * *

Paris was startled as she heard the door click open from the bathroom from the patio, her eyes jumping from the newspaper. She hoped her plans for the day would go well, and that Lorelai wouldn't think she did too much. Having her for only a day and a half meant she would only have a few things she could do rather than the full monty she could do on a regular week-long trip, but she hoped it would be just as memorable for Lorelai.

She turned around to face Lorelai and immediately blushed. The effect the woman had on her was undeniable as she took in the tall innkeeper with her beautiful locks full of life again, and her eyes immediately finding Paris's.

What got to her immediately was the difference in how Lorelai looked in the robe. Where it covered most of her short form to below her knees, Lorelai was a lot different as it rose to mid-thigh, giving her a salivating look at Lorelai's legs. Paris closed the newspaper and folded it over, getting up as Lorelai headed her way.

Lorelai was just as surprised. _Oh my God, she's trying to look cute_ , she thought to herself. _And she's doing really well at it!_ She wasn't used to the spartan woman wearing something to flatter herself rather than minimize, and the idea that Paris had actual arms rather than just covering them was something that surprised her. Seeing her lover trying to be both practical and sexy warmed Lorelai's heart, especially the fact that unlike Jamie, she didn't expect Paris to dress up and look nice.

The blonde blushed at Lorelai's stare, feeling altogether out-of-body at Lorelai's smile at her which had proven her choice of outfit nice. Her nervous titter of a laugh was natural, an attempt to play herself down, but she knew it wasn't possible when she actually had the girls out to play rather than stuck beneath a sweater two sizes too large. She bit her lip as she glanced upward to find that the cool air of the bathroom once the steam had dissipated allowed Lorelai's nipples to firm, clear through the silk of the robe.

"Oh wow..." she shook her head, feeling perplexed at what to say next. "Um, good morning."

Lorelai was a bit more confident about herself. "Good morning, hon." She smiled fully, her eyes squinting slightly. "You're ready for a day of adventure."

"Yeah. I...am." Paris shook her head as Lorelai approached closer, brushing stray hair back behind her ears. "You look more...pretty this morning." Then as she sensed her wording was wrong, tried to correct herself. "Not that you haven't always looked pretty, I mean, that's a stupid thing to say, not saying you're pretty. You always have. Hot even. It's just that with a full shower and time to get ready...you are prettier this morning than you have been this summer, because it's--"

"Paris?" Lorelai took her by the shoulders and had Paris bring her gaze up. "I accept your compliment and understand what it is. I'm not gonna run away on you."

The student brought her gaze away slightly. "You don't think I'm a dork? Or worshipping you like some kind of unattainable standard of beauty?"

"Well, you've attained me," Lorelai reminded her, before laying a soft kiss on Paris's forehead. "And by the amount of time this summer I've thought of you, there's also a little worship on my end of you." She moved her hands down Paris's shoulders, sighing at the feeling of smooth skin beneath. "Finally, you're not a dork at all. Remember, we talked about not putting yourself down?"

"I know, just a little...afraid." Her breath caught as Lorelai's thumbs slid along her underarms and to her elbows. "That would be pretty pathetic if I lost your love overseas."

Lorelai shook her head slightly. "Burn that thought. I am **not** dumping you, especially not after last night." Slowly they made their way towards the end of the bed, sitting carefully down. "So...um, I kind of remember us barely making love, but we weren't awake."

"I'm so sorry if I did that. Haven't been able to really get off for a week or so, so I guess I took it out on you."

"Mmm, not complaining, it helped get out a little stress I was feeling. Probably helped me sleep better too, to be honest." A little blush appeared in her cheeks. "Of course, that doesn't mean at all I'd be opposed to a repeat performance while I was awake." She raised her eyebrows, causing Paris to clench her fists lightly.

"I certainly wouldn't object either," she responded, Lorelai's mouth so close to her it was tantalizing to lay a kiss on and forget about the room service coming soon. She opened her hands up, wanting to touch the woman. "You know you're visible this morning."

Lorelai played innocent. "In what way is that?"

"You know what way...Umlauts." Paris directed a glance at Lorelai's breasts, loving the way the nickname seemed cute with her. "They're so big...I don't get it. You've got hand-sized breasts but they're half-nipple."

"That's another first; a compliment of my nipple size." The brunette could feel that Paris was ready to ravish her. "Most everyone else is all about my cleavage or the size. You, it's how they are when I'm turned on or stirred up."

"I wouldn't like you when you're angry," Paris joked. "Guess you can't be She-Hulk for Halloween."

"I've done Wonder Woman a couple of times. Had to sew extra material into the bustier because I saw a little rosiness above the fringe when I wore it factory-made," Lorelai admitted as she could see Paris's hands shaking, able to tell the young woman wanted to ravish her.  "Is that a 'I can't wait for Halloween' thought floating in your brain right now?"

"I have to admit something; I actually have you as Diana in my phone," Paris whispered. "Can't put you down as Lorelai, nor Wonder Woman, so I went with the secret identity thing."

"Kara for you, Supergirl." Lorelai chuckled at the blush against Paris's neck. "You look ready to go in the costume."

"Not quite. Last night I pretty much had to be talked into buying that skirt, so getting into that cheerleader outfit is going to take some cajones. Or alcohol." She felt shy, looking down at her hands and fighting the urge to undress Lorelai herself or do more than that. "Umm, you have a nice shower?"

"Yes, and really wishing I could put that setup in every room of the Dragonfly." She looked over at the other side of the room, realizing something. "I must've missed that, there's a whirlpool tub on the other side of the room." Paris looked with her and was also pleasantly shocked.

"Would you look at that? Surprised we didn't see it." She shook her head. "Of course, you have wine like we did and we can't see anything but each other."

"That's true, and I was so huffy when you got me here under the false pretenses all I saw was the mini-bar and high priced revenge. Which I'm sorry for, by the way."

"Actually it's part of my room plan, so no damage done. Except I really wanted that caramel bar myself." She shrugged. "Oh well, I'll have it down the line." Lorelai kept her eyes to Paris's hands and her breath, becoming shorter and harried. "That wine really didn't give us that bad a hangover, did it?"

"Can't even feel a thing," Lorelai said. "Honey?"

"Hmm?" Paris clenched her jaw, feeling deeply nervous.

"You keep looking at the knot of the robe."

"It's a very nice robe. I think I'll buy it for you." She slid her tongue along her lower lip, continually reminding herself that she only had a few minutes until room service.

"You keep looking at me...like you want me naked," the older woman purred. "Something I haven't been with you since the Manor."

Paris furiously shook her head, trying to evade. "No, I can't, I have--"

"Even when you were picking the clothes you were picturing me in that bathroom putting on every layer, I know it. Not a bad feeling to have." Lorelai's hooded eyelashes brought up Paris's alarm bells, suggesting her sexually wanting side was coming out. A cold thought of the fridge, and then the greenhouse slid through her brain. "Probably also pictured me stark in the heels, didn't you?"

The younger woman's eyes widened considerably. It had been a thought when looking at them, but quickly pushed out of her mind because of the public setting. She blushed violently, quickly crossing her legs to halt the rush of heat between them. "Lor, I can't, there's--"

"Getting down on your knees and ravishing me with your tongue. I remember still, you really wanted to do it in the pool room but common sense won out there. Well..." She slid out a leg slightly between the separation between the two parts of the robe, baring it high to tease the blonde. "No water. We're here all alone and there's nothing between your tongue and my clit except this thin layer of silk. Though technically I feel a breeze up here..." She ran her right hand along her thigh. "Mmm, that does feel good."

"Lor..." She found nothing but lust in those deep pupils staring back at her. "I would love to go down on you. There's nothing more I'd love to do, but--"

"So do it," Lorelai soothed. "Dive in and eat me out. What are you scared of?"

"Uhh, doing it wrong? And that--"

"Just think of it like the most sensual Jell-O ever, except you can't eat it."

Paris quickly shook her head. "Something I can't imagine because I can't have gelatin."

"Why no--oh, yeah, Jewish." Lorelai groaned at her flopped analogy. "Damn it, sorry."

"Not everyone knows the gelatin, so you're forgiven." Paris shook her head. "But--" She found her hand taken by Lorelai, but knew she had to ruin the woman's fun. "Look, room service is going to be here in ten minutes!" The sudden outburst startled Lorelai out of her reverie as she realized why Paris was diverting.

"Room service?" Lorelai felt way off track from what she thought Paris was inferring to. "Oh, dear! I thought you were playing hard-to-get with me." She winced and laughed lightly. "I um...I guess I should feel a little embarrassed because you kept looking at me like you wanted me naked."

"Naked to get you dressed," Paris cracked. "Sorry to say but I'm not feeling up to exhibitionism when the food is brought in."

"Well, in that case, you mind if I stay in the robe a little longer? After I eat I might be up to a little...help in dressing," Lorelai hinted as Paris felt her heart pump faster. "That is if you're up to it."

"Yes! Yes, I'm very up to it!" She shook her head, feeling silly for still having her nude picture of Lorelai floating around in her mind. "Or wait..." She rethought her words and lowered her tone, moving close to Lorelai with her secret smile on full display. "Should I say...down for it?" With a wag of her eyebrows, she left Lorelai gasping at her comeback and shaking her head.

"Dammmmmn, that was very dirty," the innkeeper proclaimed. "And that look too. Didn't think you could pull it off."

"I'm talented in many things." The young woman kissed Lorelai on the lips with a little tongue flitter and hummed happily. "Especially getting coffee from an idiot-proof coffeemaker." She pointed over to the table where Lorelai's cup sat, already prepared. "I know it isn't Luke's--"

"Nothing else will ever be Luke's," Lorelai said with deep defiance. "But this hotel room coffee I'll take gladly. Better than the brown water I've had at the hostels." Both women made their way to the table as Lorelai prepared for her first sip of coffee in over two weeks, taking in the scent and already knowing she'd love it despite it probably just being a domestic conglomerate brand. "Hello there little friend, been a long time since I had you." Paris laughed as it seemed like Lorelai was 'talking' to her cup to make it taste good. "Mamma's been bad for ducking you lately, but you either cost too much for my budget or taste of cat pee. Very, very bitter cat pee that sends me barfing. But you smell really, really nice." She took a sip from the cup and felt contentment overwhelm her features as she took a good size gulp of her life source. "And...you taste really, really good for being in a funny invention named after a really, really large bra."

"Oh God!" Paris couldn't help but smile. "You know about K-cups? I didn't know if you did."

Lorelai smiled slightly, reminding Paris of her business skills. "I get ten hotelier and innkeeping trade mags a month. I also get _Tea & Coffee Trade Journal _and _Fresh Cup_. I know more about the coffee industry than Mr. Coffee and I can tell you I love the K-cup and I plan to put it in every room in the Dragonfly because I'd rather have someone just flood a machine with too much water than break a carafe and maybe get injured." She took another thankful sip, loving the dark roast and how the flavor was hardly bitter in any way. "This confirms it will be a wise choice for sure. Probably get a little kickback from Krups for pushing it too because those things aren't exactly cheap, but they're lower maintenance because usually guests just want one or two cups. They don't need ten or twelve. They leave it behind for the maids to clean up and it's all still and flat, cold. Total waste of coffee. These? They get a cup and besides the usual vinegar cleaning, we don't have to do a thing to maintain them otherwise."

"So you like them?"

"It's kind of my dream to have an inn where I learn from the small mistakes rather than the big stuff." The woman was animated as she described more about her decision making process for the Dragonfly as she continued to sip her coffee. "At the Independence I had just had our web guy redesign the site so that cell phones and email addresses could be use to confirm reservations rather than just by home phone and it was already saving time. Sending receipts out via email and auto-fax without having to print and stick paper in the machine halved our postal costs and reduced the fax waste by 20%. As long as guests see there's a full commitment to cleanliness, they don't need the 'sanitized for your protection' paper on the toilet seat. Then there are alarm clocks; many prefer to use their cell phones now because they remain dark through the night and the familiar sound and buzz the alarms make, but until then, I had all the alarm clocks switched out to have a backlight on only when the guest hits a button, not the 'numbers on all the time' alarm clocks you can find anywhere for $5. Like that one." She pointed to the nightstand where the alarm clock indeed wasn't lit at all and needed a button pushed to display a time with the backlight. "You get the small details right, then the big items in running an inn are just that much easier."

"Wow. I'm impressed." Paris was surprised by how deep Lorelai's business acumen was. "So you know for certain some people hate continuously lit digit clocks?"

"One of our top complaints. Many unplugged it or put something in front of the numbers like duct tape, so the staff had to plug them back in or peel the tape off. Thankfully the clocks I have in mind have an atomic time server receiver so they just set themselves after a power outage."

"Wow." The blonde was rendered near quiet. "I didn't even think you knew about that. They usually market those types of clocks to the most persnickety obsessed with their time being as perfect as can be." A sheepish glance. "Like me. I set my cell phone clock so it's as close to the atomic time as possible."

"Like I said, the little things. I remember the hell you went through that month Chilton switched out all the clocks in the building to digital readouts and suddenly entire classes were late!" Paris winced as she recalled how the clock installation was botched up. "I want to make sure everyone is down for checkout when they must be down, not an hour later because the clocks were set wrong." The tall woman described her wishes even further. "There's just so much I want to do. I also need to find some good horses. Not like a retired thoroughbred or prize yearling that'll cost $8 million. Just some good horses that'll love a relaxing life away from the stresses of the stables and...uh, studding."

"What kind?"

"Some loyal ones, foal or mare, it doesn't matter. I just want a few nice ones to stable at the Inn."

"Hmm, I'll keep that in mind. I know the riding and jockey club up in northern Windham County is always looking for some buyers for their retired polo ponies and carriage horses. That might be a perfect fit because from the lay of the land you have some good grassy lawns in the back and a walking trail around the pond."

"Windham County?" Lorelai was glad to have a lead, no matter how small it was. "Is that the one near Taft Pond and Chase Hill outside Eastford?"

"Yes, the exact one. I used to take my private horseback lessons out there when I was younger, before time with everything else just made it hard to fit in even an hour. Quality facility, good vet in Pomfret, they always make sure the horses get all the care they need before they're sold off. I would recommend it, especially for your needs of just needing some good light transport horses to occasionally pull a cart or just have a quiet life where they get spoiled."

"I think when I get time I'm going to email Sookie that," Lorelai said. "An amazing suggestion, thank you!"

"Anything to help you succeed," Paris gave Lorelai a bright smile. "I'm assuming a comprehensive sprinkler system is on the list also."

"Mia opened the Independence at a time code didn't require it, and Taylor actually asked for a grandfathering of his store ten years back so he didn't have to put one in. Luke didn't ask for an exclusion himself. But he's running a diner, so it's an absolute to do so. With Mia mainly an owner but not really a contractor we never saw the need to retrofit the building for sprinklers, which really did turn out to be the downfall." Lorelai rubbed her cheek in a pondering motion. "We have to take down the ceilings after preservation pictures in the first place to put in code material so sprinklers are going in, along with a good fire alarm and extinguisher plan. Largest one in the kitchen of course for you know who." Her eyes crinkled as she laughed with Paris, who caught the hint. "I just can't wait to get into everything. I might be putting myself into some debt to start this up, but you pretty much have to do it to get into the business."

"Yeah, it's a necessity." Paris cringed at the idea of the innkeeper without much fallback outside of the bank and the backers she had. The cost of the inn had plagued her through the summer and she kept trying to think of ways to help Lorelai out, but she knew almost all roads led to a firm answer of 'no'. _I just don't know how to bring it up_ , she thought. _Maybe something will present itself today. I hope._ "Flatscreens for each room?"

"In my dreams, perhaps," Lorelai said. "Reality is I'll probably just go with the TV leasing outfit Mia used and go with a cable and antenna mix so the New Yorkers still get their stations without annoying the people who don't mind Hartford." Sighing, the hotelier felt very comfortable. "This is nice. That I can talk about all of this inn stuff without feeling like I'm talking to a wall."

"Well, you aren't. I don't mind at all." Paris nodded at Lorelai, feeling content in her talking with the woman. Just as she was ready to bring up a new topic...

_Knock, knock, knock._

__The blonde popped up after removing her hand from Lorelai's. "Room service is here!"

"Thank goodness, I'm a little starved. I hope it's nothing very basic like toast! Or a granola bar. Rory bought them in bulk at an Aldi store a few weeks back and we haven't run out yet!"

"Prepare your stomach, and it isn't a granola bar. Or any kind of health food!" Paris headed to the door and opened up the door to find a familiar face behind it. " _Bonjour_ , Dominique."

Lorelai was jarred, not expecting the friendly face of Dominique and still wearing her robe as the petite woman came in with the food card. "Good morning, Miss Gellar." Her eyes caught Lorelai and the innkeeper looked flustered as she caught the attention of the clerk. "Ms. Gilmore, how are you today?"

"Umm, uhh...I'm fine, thank you." She shook her head as an image she had buried in the back of her mind of the two women together forced itself into the front of her brain. "I didn't know you did this. It's a big hotel...surely there's staff to do this."

"Oh, there is, but Paris has put me into her employ for the week to help her out with her plans." She stopped the cart at the table and Lorelai directed a look at Paris. "I hope you found the delivery time to your satisfaction."

"I did." Paris puckered her lips together, then smiled at the French woman of Guadeloupian heritage. "Also, your choice of restaurant was superb, we were both partial to the mousse ourselves."

"I always hear nothing but compliments for the mousse," Dominique said. "Ms. Gilmore, you look much more refreshed."

Paris giggled at the extreme focus Dominique was putting on her...needs as Lorelai still felt a little jarred.

"I...I am. Thank you." She shook her head. "And please, call me Lorelai. Ms. Gilmore makes me sound like an old maid."

"Of course...Lorelai." Dominique rolled each of the L's elegantly off her tongue as she set the food tray on the table. "Paris ordered plenty for you to eat. Apparently you have been living on ramen and granola for too long."

Lifting up the tray, Lorelai didn't know what to expect. But once everything was on display, she felt like she could weep. Her eyes went right to the waffles and eggs, then to the fries. She whimpered.

"Oh my God." She clenched her hand to her chest. "This...this is surprising."

Dominique wondered if Lorelai was OK. "Is there something wrong with the food. If there is, I apologi--"

"No, nothing wrong at all." She sighed. "This is...this is my weekend brunch. I have it at the diner in my town back in Connecticut. Except for the croissant, it's pretty darned equal." She looked towards the blonde. "How did you know?"

Paris pointed to her head. "My memory knows all. I have been to Luke's during the weekend and Rory can rattle off what you order by heart. I thought, you're here. You should eat great for once while you're over here."

Lorelai nodded. "You even did bacon. I thought you couldn't do bacon."

"I can't do bacon," Paris reminded her, "but you? I wouldn't deny it to you. Also..." she put on a half-frown/smile, "I can't resist it. I know it's not kosher, but I have one outside breakfast with it every few months. On the sly. Damned Madeline and her father making it so tantalizing!"

Laughing, Lorelai brought Paris close and kissed her softly on the lips to thank her for the breakfast. "Let me guess, anyone knows, I lose my tongue?"

Paris raised her eyebrow. "No loss of body parts, but a probable loss of special privileges in bed." She pulled out a chair for Lorelai. "Now dig in. We're getting out of here in just over an hour and I'd like time to help you...dress."

"Mmm, I need plenty of time to...dress," Lorelai hinted as Dominique opened up Paris's tray, noting that the clerk's eyes were hardly suggesting innocence at all and were focused lower than her face. She looked at Paris's breakfast and wrinkled her nose. "Really, hon? You're going with the TV commercial 'complete breakfast'? In Paris?"

"I told her to spoil herself," Dominique interjected, "but she insisted on the basics."

"I didn't even know they offered Cheerios in France! C'mon, live a little."

Dominique laughed, then told the women of how Paris was able to get one of her usual breakfast cereals. "Actually, they're imported from across the Channel. They don't offer them locally, but of course we keep near every cereal on hand in the kitchen we can find. We aim to please."

"Well, thank the chef for me," Paris said as she poured a cool carton of soy milk into the bowl. "Actually, that's one of the reasons I'm going to Yale."

Lorelai was thrown by Paris's odd interjection and snickered. "Par, DeVry offers Honey Nut Cheerios, and they don't even have dorms."

"No, not that." Paris giggled, realizing she sounded a bit odd about being excited about Yale and cereal. "The dining hall has a cereal bar with multiple varieties of cereals. Some of them are god-awful gruel like Kashi or Grape Nuts, but there's also Honey Nut Cheerios, all the varieties of Chex, frosted flakes, raisin bran...but more importantly the cereals Nanny and my mother banned me from trying because I apparently got hyperactive the one time I tried Trix when I was four. You know what I'm going to do my first morning there?"

"I would assume eat breakfast."

"Well, my plan is this; Lucky Charms, combined with Fruity Pebbles, a bit of Apple Jacks, which apparently aren't made of apples but they're good, and then in my second helping, combining Peanut Butter Crunch, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Cocoa Puffs. And nobody can stop me from my plans of trying every cereal this year that the Yale dining hall offers."

Lorelai shook her head and smiled as she looked at Dominique. "My girlfriend, Paris. Other college students would rebel by doing pot and chugging extreme amounts of Coors. She just overdoses on Cocoa Krispies and buys a $5,000 bed to ease rejection pains."

"And dropping a lot of money on a trip to Paris," Dominique said, reminding them of why they were both here. "Which you both seem to be enjoying."

"So far, so good." Paris couldn't help but notice the glances continually being exchanged between Lorelai and Dominique and felt a cool shiver up her spine at how beautiful the Frenchwoman looked to her. She saw a spark between the two women, yet knew Lorelai was still fully here. _Hmm, couldn't hurt. Though I'm not going to say a word_...

"Alright." The woman wondered what to do next. "Is there anything else that you need, ladies?"

Lorelai finished her bite of egg as she poured the maple syrup over her chocolate-coated waffles. "No need to leave so soon. Are you needed downstairs, hon? Surely you could stay a little bit." She stared into the woman's eyes, struck by a connection she felt with the clerk. "I mean, we're just eating, but we'd love a little company."

Dominique ran a nervous hand through her curls, her forehead wrinkling as she felt flustered by the kind American woman. She found both Lorelai and Paris attractive, but there was something about the brunette's light attitude that caught her in just the right way. She loved the woman's humor, and though she made it usually a policy to keep work and home completely separate, she had went to bed and found herself unable to strip Lorelai's flirting from her mind. The leg baring and display of a flash of panty had stuck with her all day and into the evening, and only after a slow manual tease of herself to the idea of the kind American innkeeper touching herself in front of her, was Dominique able to finally fall into an ethereal sleep.

She wanted to flee, finding Lorelai's scent overwhelming, along with Paris's more casual dress making her feel overwhelmed with an emotional need for both women.

"Um...I should, I--"

Paris then reached into her pocket, and to Dominique's utter shock, she found rather than the €50 note she had expected, that the girl was pulling out a green €100 note instead.

"I insist on you staying," Paris whispered softly, moving close into the woman's personal space as she brushed the fingers containing the €100 note against Dominique's, noting the complete lack of any kind of ring. "A little friendly company is needed here." The woman sucked in her lips as the heated and deep tenor of the guest's voice hit her pleasure center just right.

" _Merci._ " Dominique was overwhelmed, but knew even without the money she couldn't deny the pull of these two women. "I shall stay then." With a nervous smile she sat down in the chair between Paris and Lorelai's place settings, favoring herself more towards the brunette. "This would be just a large gratuity I assume."

"That is all it is," Paris insisted.

A little smile slid across Dominique's lips and Lorelai sucked in her own, a little hot beneath her non-existent collar. "So you are from, where Paris said, Stars Hollow? It sounds like a beautiful town."

"It is. I ran an inn there for about ten years or so, at least until it burned down last March in an electrical fire. I just purchased another building in town and when I get back from Europe, it's all renovation for the next nine months."

"Oooh, that sounds lovely." Dominique glowed as she listened intently to the woman. "And this is a small inn? Not one of those overly stuffy bed and breakfasts or an 'inn' like those chain hotels that are on the outskirts of town that call themselves inns?"

"I've seen the building, this is the very definition of a small inn," Paris mentioned. "I think about 15-20 beds and the trappings is what she has planned."

"18, to be exact." Lorelai was impressed with Paris's knowledge of her business. "We plan to be focused on hospitality, weddings, religious and other kinds of large events. Pretty much we're near New York and Boston, so we hopefully will get business from both areas, and beyond. If I can get the right kind of advertising out there, probably all the way down to Washington and towards Nova Scotia."

Paris went further with Lorelai's description. "She's excellent with her job. From what little I do know she did such a great job that the owner of Lorelai's former inn felt pretty well comfortable enough to head into semi-retirement in North Carolina. She's very devoted to her job and I can't think of anyone better to run an inn than her."

Lorelai laughed and pointed at Paris's way as she bit into her croissant. "This one, she's a hidden charmer. Geeze." Getting the full bite in she continued with her mouth full. "You really think all of that?"

"I really do." Paris sipped lightly at her juice and placed it back down. "She could probably run this hotel if she had the drive to do so."

"Paris..." Lorelai's lips were tight. "We can't show any disrespect to--"

"No, I understand how she is stating it," Dominique told the woman, waving her hand. "I can really see how Lorelai could be a professional hotelier for sure. Just her voice, I could see that she would be able to fill my every need if requested." With a coy smile she wrinkled her eyes slightly at the brunette, the accent of her voice making Lorelai feel a twitch between her legs. She took in a deep breath as she took a sip of her juice.

"Well..." a nervous laugh. "I guess I shall take that as a compliment."

"Take it however you want." Dominique bared her teeth slightly with a wider smile, a little curl of mischief in her voice. Lorelai looked over to Paris, sure to see that the girl was jealous that the clerk was coming onto her, but found no sign of her classical signs of annoyance. No narrowing of her eyes, not a sigh, nor any attempt at malice towards the clerk. Just an understanding smirk that told the older woman she was entertained by the banter between the innkeeper and the French woman.

Lorelai continued to eat, conversing with the woman and surprised by how versed Dominique was in English. Her and Paris learned from Dominique that the main reason she received the job was indeed how she was versed in English, which included one year of a student exchange with a family in Montreal which helped her soak up plenty of culture and included a few trips below the border to New York City, Vermont, and other cities in upstate New York where she was able to soak up American culture, along with an unexpectedly strong obsession for _Friends_.

"I actually had someone I knew in Syracuse tape episodes and send them to me for a few years. It took forever to get here translated. Thankfully the Internet makes it easier to get it now, if a little illegal and of cruddy quality, and there's a community I can talk to about it online. I love how I can be close to America, even if I'm not nearby."

Lorelai shook her head. "I'm having the reverse problem right now. I don't want the Internet but my mother in Hartford wants me to check in continuously." The woman shook her head as Paris felt for her deeply. "She thinks I'm going to die or run off with some foreigner."

"She does?" With a mirthful laugh, Dominique tested the limits of Paris and Lorelai's coupling, noticing that the blonde had made no move to end the game the older women were playing. "She's fearful of our overpowering sexuality, isn't she?" On the side, Paris snorted through a spoonful of her cereal, while at the same time wondering if she was indeed showing too much. The way Dominique was looking at her and Lorelai was to say the least, much more interesting than any Chiltonian male had done.

On the other hand she had noticed Lorelai's robe come slightly loose from gravity, the knot she thought was secure, instead sliding open and giving both women a nice view of her open cleavage. She was surprised at how fluid her sexuality was, as unlike when Tristan was trying to get Rory and she could be frothed up too easily, she could easily share Lorelai with others she trusted.

She watched the two women talk more about _Friends_ , completely lost as she had one of the few parents in the world who enjoyed _Promised Land_ on Thursday nights and wouldn't allow the viewing the more popular show, watching them go back and forth about Ross and Rachel, along with Phoebe's antics, Dominique feeling at least a little less lost in the world being able to talk to an American. Paris busied herself with sips of her tea, noting Lorelai was eating all of her food but just as hungry for conversation.

 _I'm easily imagining her_ , she thought to herself, taking in the women chatting happily while going over Dominique's form more closely. The woman's short build belied the curves she held, her legs standing out even in well scuffed mass-market heels that were definitely 'work shoes'. Dominique wore the hotel's uniform beautifully and Paris noted that she had her crème blouse beneath the black blazer down a few buttons to hint at just the smallest amount of her cleavage. The woman's long and tight curls also showed a woman proud of her heritage and not just living within the walls of French society, her own self and proud of it.

Lorelai's robe continued to slip down ever so slowly and from Paris's view, she could see a hint of nipple, along with...

She almost shrieked in reaction to seeing the slight bruising and bite marks along the areole that she could see. _Oh my God! Paris Eustace Gellar, you do that to her in your sleep?!_ She wondered how the clerk hadn't noticed yet and was mortified by her behavior. _Yes, you enjoy it rough. She does too. But, man, you probably have her feeling tender right now!_

 __Paris hoped she could be distracted as she began to eat her baguette. However, as Dominique's eyes landed upon the slowly exposing breast, the black woman giggled softly.

" _Merci!_ Lorelai, do you know you're bruised?" She straightened her lips, wondering how looking at what hadn't been exposed skin would be taken by the innkeeper just as she bit into the bacon. "Are you OK?"

Lorelai folded the strip into her mouth, chewed and then swallowed, giving a look to her girlfriend not easily read at first by the Yalie. "Am I OK?" A pause as Lorelai reached out for Paris's hand. The nervous student folded it in.

"I am more than that," she softly intoned. "When I got out of bed I don't think I've had my pussy feel so relaxed in the morning, and I had the best pee in a long time."

Paris blushed violently. "Oh God." She averted her eyes. "You...didn't just say that."

Smiling in response, Lorelai squeezed her hand as Dominique looked at both women, highly amused. "I did, and I would again. I'm glad I had a sleeping session of lovemaking, in our dreams. I know it's a little mortifying, but I enjoyed it."

Paris was surprised as Lorelai traced the bite mark along the upper part of her breast. "But I bit you while you slept."

"Lightly, and it didn't wake me up," the woman reminded her kindly. "You were being a tease in your dream, and that was just fine with me, Par. You're a very considerate dream lover." She ran her index finger along Paris's inner palm, feeling her pulse begin to fade. "Also, it always feels nice to wake up to your scent rather than sweat and hair and...manliness. It's soft."

"Thank you?" Paris said, questioningly, her body beginning to react more to the teasing. "You...you should finish up breakfast."

"Are you sure you don't want bacon or waffles, hon?" Lorelai pushed over her plate slightly. "Or eggs?"

"I'm good. Very good," Paris insisted. "I...I'm just feeling out of sorts. Must still be the jet lag. Or--"

Lorelai snorted. "No, it's the orgasms I keep giving you. The Eiffel one got to you, didn't it?" Dominique's ears perked up at the mention of the local landmark. "And you want more. You want me to finish breakfast so you can get me out of this robe and into your mouth." She looked at the hotel employee, wondering if she went too far with being so blatant. However, she only received a knowing smirk in response as the coloring of the college student began to approach tomato proportions.

"Why do you have to be such a teaser?" Paris grumbled, taking a quick bite out of her bread. "Gah."

"What can I say, I live...to please." Putting emphasis in the end brought out the deadly eyeroll from the student, though in a much lighter form than usual. "And boy is she ever."

"She looks it," Dominique observed. "I see how you both work; you're the lighter and funny one, and Paris is the serious and focused half, the one who plans out everything. You don't have the traditional compliments, but somehow you both work." With a smile, Paris was able to relax slightly, though she was still a bit wound up.

"Got us figured out," she said softly, with a small smile. "Though Lorelai has things more together I think. I've been on a path I didn't expect since March when Harvard rejected me. I'm not bitter about it any longer, but it still burns."

"I see it does, thus the overriding Yale shirt. You're making yourself comfortable with that but it's taking a bit, isn't it?"

"I think it's not going to be until I get back second semester that I'll know this is my life. That Harvard isn't crawling back for me. It's the 'temporary arrangement' that's going to be permanent eventually." Paris took in a deep breath as she saw Lorelai give her a supportive glance. "I'm OK now, but I know by the time I leave home in August it's going to be odd going directly south rather than northeast."

Lorelai gave Paris's hand another light squeeze, knowing she needed it.

"You know I'll support you, no matter what?"

"Mm-hmm." Paris nodded, taking in a deep breath to settle her pulse down. "I'm ready for Yale. I am. But it's an escaped dream and somehow I still want to catch it." She closed her eyes slightly, feeling herself trying to hold onto her control. "You understand, right?"

"I do. Definitely do." Lorelai moved close to comfort Paris as Dominique began to sense she was intruding on a private moment. Lorelai had finished her food, and Paris only had a little bit of juice left in her glass. Looking at the two women she felt as if there was a connection between them that crossed much more than an age barrier.

"I...I should probably depart," she insisted. "You two should be alone." She began to gather up the items but Paris spoke up, her voice shaking.

"Leave it for housekeeping later. I think they can handle it."

"You are sure? I can take it without a problem."

"You've been here, and that's all I really need," Paris assured her, getting up with Lorelai to show Dominique to the door. "Thank you for everything this morning, and especially last night."

"Always happy to help." The two women helped the clerk back to the door. "If you need anything of course, I will be in most of the day, up to seven o'clock this evening."

Paris nodded, her eyes falling upon those of Dominique's as she could tell there was a certain tension in the room. "Of course," she spoke with a small smile. "We will definitely talk again today, I'm sure."

"Thank you, Dominique," Lorelai said, and the kind woman nodded back.

"Enjoy your travels today." With that, Dominique left the room, leaving the two women alone again, sexual tension frothing between the two. Paris directed her gaze at Lorelai, and then...

"Someone's smitten," she teased. "I never thought I'd see it; monogamous Lorelai flirting with a hotel clerk."

"I was not," Lorelai said, afraid Paris would be mad at her. "I don't know what you were seeing."

Paris shook her head and placed the slide lock on the door to afford them privacy. "I was seeing someone struggling to get through breakfast because she's a massive flirt with two women." She moved over towards Lorelai. "Along with someone knowing her robe was opening pretty damned blatantly."

Feigning shock, Lorelai held an indigent hand to her slowly baring chest. "My robe has not been opening!"

"It has, you've just been 'forgetful'," Paris argued, knowing exactly how Lorelai could be a quiet flirt in just the right way. "Not that I've been complaining." With a side smirk from Paris, Lorelai knew she had been caught.

"So I may have let it fall open a little." She clicked her tongue. "But I didn't expect to have company. Especially...that kind of company." She pointed towards the door. "You expected me to be normal when I'm in an extreme case of sexual tension?"

"Why would I want normal?" Paris quipped. "If I wanted that I'd be content to be on the Jersey Shore with terrible sex and over-protectiveness." She quirked her eyebrow. "Besides, it's fun seeing you flustered around a multi-cultural and multi-lingual woman."

"Of course you'd be amused." The innkeeper took in a deep breath, looking at her girlfriend, feeling all wound up. "I thought you'd leap in and be jealous of her."

Paris shook her head, still smiling at her. "What jealousy? You're here with me. I have no thoughts that you will be stolen at all. Though you really need to learn how to wear a robe." She looked down, smiling at the sight of the top of Lorelai's nipples being able to be seen. "And you're not hungry anymore; that breakfast is three days right there along with the dinner from last night."

"Mmm, that it is." Lorelai had a blush spread up her cheeks as she saw Paris looking her up and down, anticipating that the girl had been soaking herself for the last half-hour. She moved to bring Paris close and placed her hands at the small of her back, then moving her towards the bed. "I have new energy now that I haven't had for awhile. And coffee. I wonder how I might be able to expend it..." She put on a pondering glance, as her hands slid down towards the hem of her top, letting it up a little and feeling the peeking waistband of the younger woman's underwear. "Also, I heard you wiggle the doorknob when I was in the shower."

"I...I thought of taking a shower, but you were in it," Paris responded, her body tightening in response to having the brunette against her. "And since the door was locked...I did not want to intrude."

"You know," Lorelai whispered, recalling their separate showers in the Manor. "I don't mind sharing a shower with you at all. I'm not opposed in any way."

"I'm not either. We just wouldn't leave until we ran out the hot water. Which in this hotel would be about ten o'clock tonight." Paris brought herself onto tip toes to try to be near eye level, her fingers shaking at the anticipation. She looked down at the teasing knot again. "I just realized I'm dressed, and you're not."

"It's a little unfair, isn't it?" Lorelai moved her gaze down with a slight smile. "Although I'll say, more of those shirts, please. Many more. You wear tank tops very well."

"You know why I haven't that often? My mother expressed a fear about 'perverted gazes' and that I would receive untoward attention, not for my brain, but for what's below it. It's understandable, but with her controlling the fashion for a long time, I've been a little underwhelming when it comes to flattering things to wear."

"And you finally got that control this year."

"Mm-hmm. Still not used to it though. Besides us, I don't need to stand out, so I haven't thought of what to wear that often. I'm not really sexual, so what I wear beneath means nothing to anyone else except for EMT's. And showing off? Chilton doesn't do well with individuality. The only thing you can do is the skirt hem, and even then you have to be careful. And forget any other alterations; it's an automatic two-day suspension if you forget the tie and don't get a spare from the office."

"Same for Hillside. I did the best I could there, but there was nothing I could do. Especially because the dark red in the skirt and blazer fabric they used made me feel like a 70's game show host. I didn't even really have boobs until...well." She grimaced and Paris knew exactly.

"Mine came early. Way too early." The student cringed at going on about her puberty. "That's why Louise and I started out in seventh grade. She was just fascinated about how I was growing in and back then, she was so innocent. I was basically her guinea pig turning her into how she was today. But between then, I actually had to get new blazers and blouses twice in that year, and then just the most painful periods. Whatever those videos they made me watch in fifth grade said, they were very, very wrong. The first one I had in February of 1998, not in class, thank goodness. But it had me in tears, in a ball just lying on the floor of my private bathroom with a towel. Thank God it came on Presidents Day weekend so my attendance streak wasn't affected."

"Oh my God." Lorelai sucked in a breath at the description of the pain of her girlfriend's first time. "My first wasn't that bad."

"Until the rejection it was the worst I had ever physically felt. I wanted to die. Even my mother, in the uncomfortable relationship I had, was very empathetic for me. I also threw up and...it was terrible. I've been on a form of birth control that limits the flow I have ever since it became clear they needed to be controlled somehow. I know I could control it now, but the thought of getting to that point scares me shitless. I...I never even told Louise or Madeline. They've never known. And it's probably why I waited so long to become sexually active with someone because I just can't trust them with this much information."

"Not Jamie at least." Lorelai shook her head. "No wonder you latched onto me, hon. I make you feel comfortable?"

"You do." With a nod, both women sat on the bed, Lorelai wondering how it was her who was getting to know the true Paris usually only revealed behind closed doors. "I'm sorry if it was too much for me to say, it just was something I felt like talking about."

"Don't feel ashamed about it, at all. You can't control things like that, so I'm glad to know."

"It just sucks that I have these kinds of genes. Like I'm cursed up deeply."

"If you're so cursed, why are you here in Paris with an amazing gal like me as your lover?" She smiled, and Paris rolled her eyes, though she laughed at how Lorelai phrased it. "Face it Par; we both had pretty crappy childhoods. But I think adulthood is looking up."

"You think things can get better?"

"They definitely can." Paris whimpered lightly, not sure if Lorelai was right. "Hey, let's go over a few things; you get a fresh start at Yale. None of the 'five generations of Gellars have attended Harvard' baggage to deal with. You survived high school, and the usual crappy relationship that could have been 'miserable high school sweethearts' 'til Jamie's mid-life crisis, but it's gone. You're all good, and then there's your dream trip out west that somehow will end out here. You've got a great uncursed life going here, Par."

She then smirked and moved her left hand towards the sash of the robe. "And finally, you do have me. I'm here...and I think I need to begin to get ready for the rest of the day." Moving towards the knot, Paris whimpered at the idea of Lorelai opening the robe and presenting herself to her.

"Get...ready. Right." She smiled nervously. "I do...have clothes for you. They're in the closet. Where clothes go."

"And that's why I love you; you know how to fill my needs." Lorelai wiggled her fingers within the loose knot, beginning to will it off. "Needs I'm sure you enjoy attending to." Her blue eyes were on full focus, a little smirk playing upon it. "Needs that mean we have an hour to get ready?"

"Yes. An hour. Sixty minutes." She wondered if she would be able to remember what an hour was by the time she finished helping Lorelai get ready. "Or, about fifty minutes, actually. We've burned a few minutes finishing breakfast."

"Fifty is good. Still a good amount of time. I mean, if you don't mind--"

Paris found herself getting antsy. _Enough, Par, stop stalling. You didn't find her in Paris just to talk; you want her. Look at her, being all...hot and tall. Come on girl!_

 __"I think we can work with fifty minutes. If we stop talking for a little while." The abrupt end to the conversation reminded Lorelai of why Paris invited her to spend two nights in a hotel room. "Time to get you out of that robe, Lor." She moved aside Lorelai's fingers and slid hers inside the knot, purposefully knowing she'd brush the woman's sensitive navel and midriff. Soon, Lorelai brought away her focus from conversation.

"Yes, definitely time. Then you can tease me." Paris groaned slightly at the come-hither look of her lover as she found the knot wouldn't have lasted five more minutes, so loosely done it took only the slightest of pulling to unravel it completely. Paris slid the sash out of the belt loops completely and put it aside completely, while the robe still stayed together from the spare friction of the silk.

Lorelai took in deeper breaths as she saw the heated look in Paris's eyes, her browns turning into a somewhat darker color as she looked over Lorelai, one of her fingers moving towards the woman's right nipple peaking through the silk, the darkness of the areole noticeable. A bare brush of the fingertip made Lorelai clench, anticipation building up.

"Sooo..." The student was curious about how Lorelai wanted it. "You want this?"

Lorelai nodded. "Ever since I left the Manor and had to settle for phone sex." She felt a light twist of the nipple. "Oh God."

"This needs to come off then...but first, lay down." Lorelai complied, the robe material sliding slightly askew towards the upper part of her torso and barely shielding her navel while partially baring each breast. Paris eased herself next to Lorelai's thigh and glanced up and down before rolling up her own top and working it up to her underarms before taking it off completely and folding it into a perfect square off to the side, leaving her in her bra.

Lorelai felt herself soften at the care Paris was putting into the seduction. To see her be so considerate and kind, yet slow despite a time deadline was helping to keep her calm. She sucked on her bottom lip looking at Paris without her shirt on, again marveling at how the summer had done her younger lover well as far as the tone of her body.

"Damn," she whispered. "You're hot." She wondered if Paris would narrow or roll her eyes at the compliment, but instead found the material of the robe moved to the sides on the lower portion, Paris becoming surprised as what was invisible in the dimness of lamplight was apparent in the daytime. She traced Lorelai's stomach, finding a thin trail of hair down from her navel that was invisible except up close.

"Could say the same of you," the blonde whispered. "Not much for stomach-baring this summer, are we?"

Lorelai nodded. "Not since I found out both disposable razors suck at non-leg shaving and my usual razor doesn't have cartridges carried here. So...gave up on that." A cold shudder went through her from Paris's gaze. "I...I'm sorry for the trail--"

"No need. No need at all." A subtle lick of her lips told the hotelier that the sudden sexuality of mid-July certainly would be just as heated as two months back. "It's sexy. Kinda animalistic. Like this summer..." She slid herself to Lorelai's head to look right into the woman's eyes while her left fingers wandered the line of hair. "I had to let go of most shaving for a week and a half before I got to Denver, mainly just out of laziness, but sometimes, I just couldn't get to a guaranteed shower. Didn't shave my underarms from the raft trip all the way to my one-nighter in Vail."

Letting out a whine, Lorelai shuddered at the idea of Paris growing out some of her body hair, in a good way. She knew without asking her legs were a definite shave no matter what, but she would let go of her underarms rather easily.

"The shower yesterday," she admitted in a rush. "Let go of ten days of underarm hair myself. Now I feel a little guilty. We could've truly done it like the French did." She wrinkled her nose as the student did feel a beat of disappointment. "How did it feel?"

"Nice. I could get away with it," Paris admitted. "I might do it for a bit this winter. Not in this season though." She moved her mouth to nip at Lorelai's lower lip and slid in her tongue slightly, Lorelai letting her have access. The two women began to tangle together slightly, heavy breath exchanged between them as they began to get back in the mood for intimacy, at least away. The taste of the almond and honey from the cereal got to the older woman and she moaned in contentment.

"Mmm, better kisser now I see," she observed. She felt the girl's left hand cup at her right breast as the other hand made work to slide the robe off, providing a surface for lovemaking. "Not that you weren't bad before."

"Last thing I want to be is a bad kisser, or a bad lover." Parting Lorelai's lips, her tongue swirled against Lorelai's front teeth as she sensed their breathing was nearly synced together. She circled the breast, taking in the texture of the familiar feeling she had missed for so long, emotions welling up within her to stretch out the time. It felt more firm, a testament to the month on the European backpacking trail.

Lorelai panted as she could feel Paris's thigh against her, covered in denim. Her own hands grasped the sides of Paris's back, the hem of the jeans becoming a guide for her to figure out how to work her hips against her just right. They were both comfortable, finding the groove that they had without missing a beat. She gasped as she knew Paris was teasing her, letting her circle against her but not too deeply.

Lorelai bit down on Paris's lower lip to tease her, sexily mewling at the thin flesh between her teeth and hoping to leave a little bite against it. She bit down lightly to test the girl's pain tolerance and felt encourage, biting down until she heard a divine gasp slide out. She pulled away to find the smallest impact with her front teeth, an indent towards the right side of her lip. Paris pulled away, leveling a small smile at the innkeeper.

"Pain is pleasure," she whispered. "Love your pain, Lor." She found the woman's blush building and decided to play with her a little more. "Do you share my opinion though?"

The elder Gilmore nodded knowingly. "I go out in the cold in a skirt without underwear sometimes, what do you think?"

"Well considering you have a tat below the waist...I think you love the pain." She brushed a finger along the area she knew the tattoo was at, slightly obscured by dark and deep hair along Lorelai's pubis. She began to move her lips down a line from Lorelai's mouth and towards her chin, taking a little nip with her teeth at every opportunity. Her hand moved to cup the brunette's sex, her other hand upon her breast finding it to firm up from sexual interest. "I didn't get much time to myself this summer," she whispered, taking time to build the foreplay. "But my dreams were vivid. I swore I felt you up head to toe at every opportunity when I slept. It was a godsend when a hotel had a body pillow to cuddle up with. A clean one, of course."

"Of...course." Lorelai's imagination overwhelmed her with images of her girlfriend in a t-shirt and shorts or less doing sinful things in her sleep, rubbing up against a surface to frot herself off. "God, I need to cum...thinking about you." She moved her hands slightly lower to guide Paris's thigh against her.

"Eventually...still plenty of time." Despite her tension, Lorelai was willing to be patient and slowly felt her lover's leg peel away from her as Paris moved lower, laving the tall woman in lustful attention as she was presented with Lorelai Gilmore looking utterly exhausted from her travels but still deeply beautiful. She curled her body up slightly as she reacted to Paris touching her stomach, fingers sliding along her navel and enchanted with the line of hair she hated now to have removed.

Kisses along and upon each of her breasts, then down along her midriff, she felt out of her body, like this was all a dream, even though she had confirmed multiple times It wasn't. A mess of dirty blonde hair below her, Lorelai felt a happy hum at the idea of her girlfriend about to go down on her. Sucking in her lip, her nostrils flaring, she knew she was about to go through a tailspin of emotions as she moaned while the kisses moved even lower. She began to feel the tension build up and anticipated her release.

Paris eyed up her situation. She could sense how turned on Lorelai was just by scent alone, which overwhelmed her with the need she felt for the beguiling brunette.

 _You can do this_ , she told herself. _No way you're going to disappoint her so far into this._ Psyching herself up she licked her lips and prepared to dip her tongue in. Lorelai stiffened up as she felt the breath of her lover below, not willing to tell the student that her breath was ticking her in just the right way even then.

As Paris began to move in...

The silence was broken by a sudden shrill sound that came from the nightstand. One that Lorelai dreaded.

Her phone rang. Paris between her legs, the phone was ringing.

"Oh God, no," she whimpered, feeling very stressed. Stretching her neck out, she found Rory's name displaying on the Blackberry screen. "Damn it, it's Rory." Paris lifted up her head and groaned.

"Oh man." Paris shook her head, forgetting about the one thing that could stop them. "I knew we forgot something, either keeping the phone off or calling her earlier." She glanced up at Lorelai, sighing loudly in the same way her lover was. "Pick it up, that way she can't bother us for the rest of the day."

"Paris--"

"No apologies," she assured her, though a little ornery. "Get it in." With her body shaking, Lorelai grasped the Blackberry and started the call, greeting her daughter with her voice shaking, in need of a come.

Immediately, the ease of the morning seemed to melt away as Rory inquired as if the original tour plan would be followed. Guided by Paris listening in but staying silent, Lorelai judged her cover story on hand gestures and facial movements as the blonde quickly fled to her purse in case she needed the voice changing device.

"No, I can't. This person, they're very insistent. They really want to--No, it's not happening, kiddo, I'm sorry. I'll be back in the morning." Paris gave a signal as if to say 'things were complicated, describe it that way'. "Well, I have to stay because of....securities law, credit check, income verification, uhhh, notary of Connecticut? Yeah, we have to transmit things to Hartford to be notarized, and the fax there is dog slow."

Paris pushed back onto the bed, ready to rescue Lorelai, who despite the state of her excuse making had not made a move to cover herself yet, going three minutes into the fruitless and mainly one-sided conversation on Rory's end. "Hon, it's a long process. Very long. I also have things to negotiate." A pause. "What? Look, I'm fine. Being fed well, just fine, no problems. No, I'm not kidnapped, promise, I--No, I'm not trying to get out of the Eiffel Tower. I don't have a fear of heights, why did you think I did?"

"Or finger-fucking your girlfriend on it," Paris whispered suddenly, intending to keep Lorelai's libido high and causing here to snicker when she heard it, causing a bit of surprise on Rory's end as she reacted and asked what was funny. "Uh, nothing, nothing. Just thought of a dumb French stereotype, Jerry Lewis movies. Really, nothing." Paris kept the device close just in case she would need to speak.

"Honey, one tomorrow, I'm back. Promise. Cross my heart, die, needles in my eye and...and..." Suddenly the blonde knew she would have to take desperate measures to keep her girlfriend interested in the last half hour. Despite having thought there was no way to them to get back on track, Lorelai could see Paris sliding back between her legs.

An idea planted itself in the front of Paris's brain. Taking the device, she placed the speaker right against the edge of Lorelai's pussy lips. With a devious smile, she intended to seal her claim on the woman. With the box's volume set at low in order to not blow out the speaker, she knew what Lorelai could hear, Rory could barely make out, or her mind would be able to construe as dirty. Clicking the box's button to change her voice, she struck with precision and passion Lorelai had never known in any other lover.

She spoke into the box. "Get off the phone or I'm going to use this," she threatened, her voice somehow both teasing and infuriating at the same time. "Ms. Gilmore, I don't want to have to...back out of this deal." Paris's eyes directed down below with her brows raised, Lorelai felt a cold chill in her throat at what was being suggested. _Oh dear God! If mine at home gets me off in minutes, Paris's voice turned up in **that**...too much! I have to get off...I mean stop this call! _ Tremors went up her legs and she feared ruining the device on one mere paragraph.

"Rory," she said shakily, "I have to let you go. This person is very insistent on..." her voice tinged with need, she directed a flirtatious glance at her lover, "...finishing the deal." A smirk was received in answer. "We have too much to discuss." Hearing protestations blasting in her ear she quickly eased a frustrated goodbye from her daughter and hung the phone up, furiously setting the phone into silent mode.

"I'm not gonna be interrupted...again." Hitting the final button, 'silence mode activated' appeared on the screen and she threw the phone back onto the nightstand. "As much as I love the idea of a voice box getting me off, it's not the same." Paris chuckled, thankfully moving the device away and tossing it to the side.

"You want me?" Lorelai nodded. "Then say the magic words."

Lorelai didn't know how such a young soul like Paris could do it. For someone half her age, she managed to have much more of a commanding and sexual personality than anyone her age. Paris slid up her fingers, beginning the tease anew as she let breaths drift along the woman's center.

"Fuck me, please, Paris," she intoned simply, though with a harsh impatience in her voice. "Even if someone knocks, I don't care about anything else."

"Nothing else?" Her lips brushed softly against the stiffened hair upon Lorelai's mound.

"Nothing else...we have a limited time." She pushed her legs together, trying to hold herself back. "Just please, please!"

Paris curled her tongue out, a thought about Lorelai begging being very hot to her. She slid her tongue in slowly between the folds tangled with hair, the scent much more heady to her than it had been at the Manor, more natural to her. She immediately felt a clench against her back as Lorelai clenched her with her hand, digging her nails in as deep as she could without it hurting and threw her head back, hissing and then screaming Paris's name out. As she circled in against Lorelai's clit she applied suction against each of the lips, her senses overwhelmed at how blushed they were, knowing now that the sleep orgasm was only enough to burn off the stress of the evening and seven weeks of missing each other.

Lorelai wrapped her legs around Paris's upper body to help hold the girl in place as she tested and prodded, moaning as she felt Paris' fingers against her inner thighs, opening her up more. There was no time for slow pressure or sweetness, so Lorelai let herself go into the pleasures she knew she wanted to feel. She gritted her teeth as she sensed Paris moving lower away from her clit, playing with her, clamping up at the very idea of the talented tongue anywhere near her 'forbidden neighborhood'.

"N'tyet," she screamed. "N'tyet, t'night," she promised to the young woman, at the point of solely needing her in the regular sense. Paris filed the words as a possible contract of what her favorite brunette would want later on and stiffened out her tongue, letting the finely tuned muscle provide the pleasure she knew the innkeeper had craved for weeks. She grasped Lorelai's ass, beginning to work the woman in a way she knew would have her in a boneless heap. Hooking her feet to the end board of the bed she raised herself up and encouraged Lorelai to move her hands to grasp at the decorative hollow behind her in the headboard, promising the woman she'd get her off.

Lorelai had her own stimuli as Paris worked around her hips, circling them hypnotically and raising herself in the air, letting her shirt slide down and knowing her girlfriend was looking at her ass, along with how the jeans stretched out to give a glance of her panties and definitely a little of the cleave of her buttocks. Satisfyingly Lorelai moaned deeply as Paris's tongue hit her clit, hissing with need as it circled it with a slow, but practiced rhythm. Lorelai concentrated on her lover, in awe that a girl with such little sexual experience could know so much and take from her cues.

Paris closed her eyes, concentrating on sound and scent to guide herself, familiar with her surroundings. She kissed at each side, a circle motion along each lip, back to the clitoris, then over again. She rubbed circles along Lorelai's flesh with her fingers to calm the innkeeper, smiling as she heard little mewls and whispers of her name encouraging her on. She quickened her tongue strokes as she was able to sense Lorelai's walls close in around her.

"You ready to cum?" she whispered from above. "I'm going to go faster from here on out. I need you dressed in a half-hour."

"Yess, sooo ready." Lorelai slid back further on the bed, ready to let all the weeks of frustration out from missing Paris. She felt Paris's nose brush against her and gasped, begging for her release as Paris's tongue flicked against her clit, going in a circling motion as her thumbs moved to the outside of her lips, sending her deeper into a frenzy. She pushed down Paris's bra straps, needing to feel Paris's flesh in her hands.

She wanted to hold in this picture in her fantasies, of the blonde bent down worshipping her as if she was an Amazon princess, giving her so much pleasure and clenching at the taste of her. Gritting her teeth Paris knew the price she would pay for most of the day was painful arousal as her clit pounded between her legs, needing its own release. But she did not want to come off as selfish and put every bit of her effort into pleasing her lover.

Longer strokes, longer circles. Paris hastily grabbed for the bottle of water at the side of her nightstand to hydrate herself before going back in, turned on at the sight of Lorelai looking content with a full blush across her cheeks and along her upper body, freckling standing out against the expanse of her flesh, the outline of her tank top straps apparent from the tan which had built up since her arrival in Europe. It caught Paris to know even Lorelai had tan lines too.

"Make those circles for me...little circles," she begged. "Get me off, oh God, please." Paris acceded to the wishes and rolled her tongue into a semi-circle shape to lick Lorelai as deeply as she wanted. She could feel her fingers begin to drip with needy arousal being forced out, her senses working overtime to please the brunette. Feeling overwhelmed herself she began to sweat, dripping down her forehead, realizing then she had applied the roll-on supplied by the hotel rather than the prescription anti-persipriant still in the bag in the closet. _Fuck_ , she cursed to herself, though she knew it certainly wasn't anything to ruin the mood.

She knew it would only turn Lorelai on more. _Pheromones_ , she thought to herself as Lorelai bucked against her tongue, riding her off. She felt hands slide down lower and gasped at the contact as rounded fingernails scraped down her back, nearing her bra, then going for it for some kind of leverage, which caused friction against her erecting nipples and for her to curse.

"Fuck!" Lorelai looked down, blue eyes full of fire.

"I want...it off." Paris looked up at her, a questioning gaze.

"I want you bare, you look so hot."

"Only a few minutes--"

"I don't...give a damn." She neared the hook. "I see you now...it's you...busting out. Especially...the road vids."

Paris gasped audibly, recalling most of the videos she sent through email she had taken her top down a bit to provide Lorelai a visible cue of missing her without having to be nude. It was only through Lorelai's love that Paris began to find an appreciation for her body, curves and all. A finger played with the hook, Paris wondering if her timing would be thrown off.

"Ohhh...fuck it. Just, quickly." Lorelai smiled and stretched out each end, Paris moving her arms to catch each side and quickly work it off from her body, putting it to the side as Lorelai shuddered.

"God, I love that sight," she confessed, looking down at the young woman with her full breasts dipping down. "You're all worked up, hon."

"I am, but back to you." She lowered herself back down and Lorelai felt relief at feeling Paris's bare breasts against her legs as she got back to circling her clit. She dipped back down, stretching out and suckling it between licks, Lorelai opening up her legs with a gasp.

"Fucking A, take me deep," she pleaded with Paris, propping further as she wound her ass into a counter-clockwise motion to meet Paris's practiced clockwise laps and sucks. Though it seemed she was predictable, it was mindblowing to Lorelai as the student knew much more about her anatomy than her exes ever cared to learn. She begged Paris to raise her body slightly and grasped as much of her breasts as she could despite some protestations that it wasn't orthodox, It drove Paris crazy as she felt her tits laying in a different manner than usual, the unfocused innkeeper stroking her nipples to a hard stiffness she hadn't been able to work herself into in months.

Paris quickened her strokes and found herself rubbing herself against Lorelai's bare shin, trying to avoid it but knowing it was inevitable that she was very turned on. She whimpered, the audible cue that Lorelai was doing well on her end driving her ever closer to the come she desired. She felt completely out of her body as she could feel pelvic muscles tightening, the scent held in though the thick mat of Lorelai's pubis overwhelming her senses.

The brunette's pants became deeper as Paris slipped her tongue in, moving away from the clit for a little bit to tease her further. A countdown clock ran through Paris's mind, a goal to use every second to the fullest. Lorelai gritted her teeth, pinching the nipples at a moment before withdrawing them to grasp her hands beneath Paris's underarms with curses and exclamations falling from her at a rapid clip.

"Please, take me...fuck me, Par, I need to cum, do it! Fuck me!" The blonde obliged with her movements becoming faster, both women rocking against each other in desperate need of release as Paris gave in to her base desires and lowered a hand into her jeans to guide her pulsing clit right against Lorelai's shinbone. She gasped against Lorelai, the aural rumbles pushing things closer.

"Fuck...oh god damn!" Lorelai was moving ever closer, the lack of dirty talk for once surprisingly hot to her with Paris using her tongue for other purposes. She could feel the smaller woman mashed against her shin in need of release, her nails dug in deep against her hips. More needed and thankful circles, that familiar heat and clench beginning to build below her gut. It wasn't of matter of if it was going to happen, but when, their teasing banter through the night finally coming to a head.

With finality she began to push her legs ever closer to put Paris in a grip, desperate for that final push. She bit on her lip and sucked in her stomach, knowing it was only a matter of time as she looked down at the tips of her own nipples, sticking up high, knowing even one touch would be enough to send her over the edge. But she wanted the orgasm the hard way, and began moving her leg up and down at the knee individually to reward her lover, which turned out to be torture for Paris.

 _I am going to ruin these panties...oh fuck!_ Even with her nighttime release Paris knew even the shin-frotting through denim would take her down. She was determined to hold out as long as she could but knew that her young body wouldn't be able to hold out that much longer. The need for Lorelai to fuck her overwhelmed all the need she had for control. She nipped lightly at Lorelai's clit and felt everything soaking through. The friction against her breasts was unbelievable, her nipples so painfully erect she didn't know when they would begin to calm down.

One last move of Lorelai's hands to each side of Paris's face, it was building. Lorelai could taste the cum on her lips when she shared her after-sex kiss with the blonde. Paris's tongue made faster and faster strokes, more uncontrolled, making sounds that would usually be speech from the pressure building against her but came out as groans and spurts of sexual want. Lorelai pushed her ass as low into the mattress as it could go, along with her legs, Paris's ears basically sealed between her.

"Wanna cum, wanna fucking cum, please!" she pleaded. "Love you so much for...for this, guuuuh..." Paris slid her hands to cup each side of Lorelai's ass, the two women moving into nearly a sitting position as Lorelai braced Paris with her free leg. Both women were uncontrollable, both knowing what was about to happen.

Yanking at the back of Paris's hair, she yelped slightly, knowing Lorelai was doing it on purpose for stimulation. The hotelier knew she was near her breaking point soon.

"Need it, need it...yessss...yesss...." She bent down and kissed the back of Paris's head before falling back against the pillow to ride out the last strokes, Paris knowing now exactly where to hit. Their scents overwhelmingly in the air between them Paris circled her tongue a few times more, knowing the clench was about to hit.

"FUCK, OH SHIT!" Lorelai raised her hips in the air, desperately. Paris drove herself faster against Lorelai's leg, her eyes wrenched shut as she knew she would hit at the same time. She felt soaked through, exhausted, her heart a mile a minute as they reached their apex. She felt Lorelai scraping her nails down her back and knew this was it. A few more circles and licks, her body becoming used to being a living toy for the innkeeper.

"Goddamn, need this...yess...yess...." She felt a nip against the inside of her lips, teeth against her flesh, and the other woman furiously fucking her leg. She gritted her teeth and felt that prickle In her skin that told her it was inevitable.

"PAR...OH FUCK....PAR, JUST A LITTLE MORE, PLEASE...PLEASE..."

Paris tugged at the waistband of her panties outside of her jeans, her cunt pounding...

"MORE...YESS, LIKE THAT..."

"LORRR..."

"PARR..."

The blonde ground in faster and faster while her tongue was a mile a minute before knowing the clench was there. Before she could pull back...

"OOOOOHHH SHIT!! AHHHHH!! YESSS!!! AHHHH!!"

Lorelai's vocal cords were fully stretched as she let out her well-needed release and a long spurt of fluid against Paris's face was let out as she let out the last few grinds against Lorelai before screaming her own, feeling like she was both drowning in pleasure and basking in it. She felt her hair being pulled tightly but the usually painful feeling was buffeted by the sweet and unexpected release she was having. Lorelai moved her right hand against herself to both finish off and control the flow of the fluid, feeling it force out from her as if letting out a heavy burden built up over weeks. The sight made Paris hot as she kept licking her clit until Lorelai begged her to stop, pulling away in deep gasps to the hot sight of Lorelai's dripping quim pushing her orgasm further.

"Fuck...Lor..." Putting her hand down her pants she groaned, the slightest touch reeling her back suddenly. "Fuck, I'm so wet!" she exclaimed as she felt the last of Lorelai's little spurts, falling against the bedding. Lorelai was still deeply in orgasm, riding it out with little circular rubs on the outside as she felt the clenches before finally feeling the comedown after two minutes, Paris's beautiful gaze bringing it much further than she ever imagined.

The two women's eyes connected and they couldn't stop staring, Paris quickly withdrawing and moving up, joining Lorelai's hand and settling her down, slowly sidling up as the two exhausted women knew this was a moment they weren't soon to forget. She unsnapped her jeans and undid her zipper, Lorelai quickly lowering her gaze to see that indeed, Paris was very wet. She smiled and brought Paris up against her, finally kissing her lip to lip, exhausted and tired, though ready for the day ahead.

They both were silent for a couple minutes, just gazing, both with damp hands connected, flesh sticking together, bruises and scrapes beginning to accumulate on their bodies. Both had shaky and unsteady breaths, Lorelai squirming at the wetness beneath her and trying to work around it without much luck, whispering obscenities under her breath for lack of control.

But finally, Paris brought her mouth to Lorelai's again, dipping her mouth in against the other woman's tongue, and enjoying the hum of the woman against her as the taste of her own arousal overwhelmed her. She hastened the kiss and wrapped around Paris, shamelessly sliding her hand into her jeans and panties, cupping her ass and reveling the feel of hot flesh within her damp fingers. She moaned against Paris's mouth, the two tangled in an afterglow embrace unlike anything Lorelai had ever known. The only thing that pulled them apart was the need for oxygen, Paris utterly ruined as Lorelai helped her out of her jeans and panties, leaving them both nude in the bed within a few minutes as they stayed together atop the made and wet bed, nothing able to break their love.

Lorelai was finally able to speak, looking at the utterly ruined student who had just expected a quick bit of oral sex, only for it to go a little farther. By feel she pulled the dampened panties from the jeans and slowly brought them to her nose to take in the scent of the crotch, a little whimper at a slight stain of period blood. Paris bit her lip, the sight of the content woman in front of her so overwhelming she felt herself clench at the sight...

...And then she licked at the deepest part of the dampness, then sucked it in to get a full sense of the arousal. Paris felt like she was about to faint as the older woman had somehow taken the focus off her own powerful orgasm and turned the tables to focus on the giver's sudden one. She held in her mouth for another longer moment before finally saying something.

"We both taste wonderful," she whispered, laying in another kiss on Paris's lips. "And smell sexy."

"Lor..." She found the woman overwhelmed with emotion.

"I'm so...I don't know how to feel. But I'm warm. I'm numb. I think...I think my PSAT score disappeared about the time you hit my G-spot from the outside somehow." A breathy laugh. "That was fucking hot how I got you off."

"But--"

"It was. We both came. We were awake this time, and you look so beautiful." She wrapped around the girl, moving her against her. "And damn it, you now own this bedding. I'm so sorry."

Paris laughed. "If it comes through. By tomorrow I might be paying a damage claim because I shredded this duvet." A sigh as Lorelai continued to hold her underwear. "And you pretty much soaked it to the mattress, which is pretty hot in itself."

"Maybe we'll have to buy the mattress? I could use a new bed."

"Good luck with international shipping there," Paris cracked. She slumped down against her lover. "Fuck...I shipped many of my clothes back from Denver. I had enough underwear to last me five days including last night. Now I'm going to be behind."

"That's what you're thinking about?" With a laugh, Lorelai lightly twirled them around. "I actually have a confession for you." She neared to Paris's ear.

"I have your pair from the first time in my bag. Washed, of course." Paris whimpered at the confession. "They are now officially my Thursday pair and they fit me like a glove."

"You...you do realize what that does to me, right?" Paris looked down, knowing Lorelai was tempted by the pair she held. "I still have your Wonder Woman briefs. Thank God I was with my dad who had no interest in my underthings all through the trip."

"What about your nanny?"

"I did my wash at the Laundromat. In the eyes of the world I'm not with you or regularly stealing underwear as tribute to our sexual congresses." She smiled, curling herself against the taller blonde. "You're going to keep those, aren't you?"

"Depends...how much do you want to keep them?"

"Not particularly attached to them outside of Saturday loungewear."

"The little blood speck shows that," she observed. "But this would be the tit for tat in our usual oddness where we swipe underwear from each other."

"Fine with me; better this than something a little too mad like spanking." Paris relaxed, content that the afterglow was full of comforting and sweetness, though she noticed Lorelai giving her an inquisitive glance. "Alright, what's spinning in the spark field of your mind, Lorelai?"

"What, me?" She pointed at herself and scoffed. "Bah, nothing."

"Spill it." She knew Lorelai was looking southward. "Tell me." She had her narrow and pout on full lock.

"Well..." Lorelai shook her head. "I know you can be uncomfortable with this kind of thing but...the top, I think it would look good..." She mumbled the last words, "without a bra."

The blonde moved in closer. "Sorry, I didn't hear that."

"Your Yale top today. It's nice. I don't think you need a bra," she rushed out as Paris nodded, taking a few moments for the words to wash over her.

"So you want me to go without?" Lorelai nodded, looking away and wondering when the 'proper dress' rant was coming. "Thank God!"

"Well, I--" She paused. "Wait."

Paris's eyes brightened at the suggestion. "That is why I got it, it felt snug when I tried it on in the store braless. I have gone without a few days this summer to save on the laundry bill and I've felt fine. It's not like I'm sagging down or anything. I just thought you'd rather I keep a bra on. Of course I can go braless." A laugh. "As long as you do too, Lor."

Turned around, Lorelai sucked in her breath at what was being asked of her now. "Par--"

"I know you took your crappiest lingerie along," she stated. "The one you wore is probably the one held up by safety pins. I do have some new underwear for you with the clothes I bought today, but the shirt I got for you should fit snugly."

"Wait, you got me...but I thought that the fancy stuff from last night was it."

"I made a second stop at Monoprix, like K-Mart here for some practical stuff. It's not as fancy as the date outfit lingerie, but it'll allow you to throw out that dreadful bra." Her eyebrow lowered. "You don't know how down I was that I had to look at the outline of that pin in the videos you sent. It was just hard to watch...distracting."

"But I--"

"Needed to save for the Inn and the trip. Understood. But it shouldn't have to make you look shabby either." She moved in close for another kiss, breaking it with a whisper. "You are a vital woman who should be spoiled. You have a whole lot of hard work ahead of you and I know you would put everything aside just to get the inn open and that you are going to be living off savings for awhile. Just promise me that you'll still put yourself first if you need to. And if you need help, come to me."

Lorelai looked into Paris's eyes and was shaken by her sincerity. _She really isn't one of them at all_ , she thought to herself, amazed despite the Gellar wealth that Paris pretty much lived her own life in a middle-class and thrifty manner and spent money only to show her love for the woman. So many people in Hartford's high society defined themselves by wealth, but to Paris, it was only a number which meant she didn't have to think. She could live her life her own way, including a last-second trip to Paris to sweep her off her feet.

"You really hate that bra, don't you?"

"It's in your bag, right?" Lorelai nodded. "If I ever see it on you again I'm going to tear it right off your body."

"Wait, you make that sound like a good thing." With a wide smile, Paris raised her eyebrow.

"It could be, but bra tearing isn't as practical or sexy as shirt tearing. Especially with the underwire in it."

"It **had** underwire," Lorelai responded sheepishly. "It snagged on something and I had to yank it out."

Paris frowned. "So what you're telling me is not only has your bra been staying on with a safety pin, but it's ripped too?" A shy nod from the brunette. "When did you buy it?"

"The...first Bush was in office and I finally found my post-preg cup size?" she whimpered, feeling very guilty.

Paris blinked her eyes a couple of times and opened her mouth slightly. "You buy more regular clothes than lingerie then?"

"Well I buy more fancy stuff for work, but at home I usually don't do that much."

"I'm glad I bought you a few things then. Thank goodness. At least for the rest of the trip I don't have to worry about you wearing a crappy bra." She looked at her lover and spooned within her. "I'm not making you feel uncomfortable, am I?"

Lorelai smiled, playing with Paris's hair. "Are you kidding me? The guys usually see me in my best stuff but you managed to catch me unaware and in my regular state of mind. I...I just am under the mindset that who needs to gussy up when I'm home or just being casual? So I don't mind it. It shows that you do care about how I look, how I feel. Though it's odd it took a relationship with another woman to get to that point."

"I think we're just more in tune with each other. Understanding and knowing how we both feel." Lorelai nodded in agreement. "And I don't want you to feel like you have this first half of the trip. You still have four weeks before you get home, so just promise me there's some way to cheer you up?"

"I promise I'll perk up here and then the rest of the way out. Having all these showers helps considerably."

"And good food, I'm sure." The blonde woman stared at Lorelai, completely enchanted. "Thanks for letting me off on your leg, by the way."

"Mmm, it's nothing." Brushing Paris's cheek she knew things had to move along pretty soon, beginning to break away. "You are very talented, young lady. When I expected you to go down on me I didn't expect it to be that hot. I'm going to probably need an energy drink before we go, that was like cardio!"

"Now you're just fucking with me." A smirk, which received a shaken head. "Really, that good?"

"Feel my heart." Paris moved her hand to Lorelai's breast and near ten minutes after orgasm, it was still beating well over 120 times per minute. "That's good sex. If not for a rush of adrenaline or excitement to see where you take me I'd be knocked out right now."

Her eyes wide, Paris began her own slide out of the bed. "I could stay here all day too, but we do have to get going." She checked the alarm clock at the side. "Man, we have fifteen minutes." She quickly rose from the bed, pulling at the duvet and wrapping it around her as she headed to the closet to get out Lorelai's clothes, her internal nagging that she had ruined her perfectly made bed drowned out by how light she was on her feet after making love to Lorelai.

Taking out the clothes she looked them over one more time, hoping they would be fine, not too extravagant. Turning back around she found Lorelai laying on top of the blanket, not covered up and her eyes landing upon a damp spot in the blanket.

 _Yup, I'm leaving a note for housekeeping that I have to purchase the bedding_ , she thought to herself as Lorelai gave her a come-hither look, a smoky and heated look in her eyes, lip sucked in and her front teeth fully out in that seductive smile that always caught her unaware.

"So, what ya got for me, Supergirl?" She giggled, feeling very heated at her behavior in the hotel room being more her attitude than any hostel visit over the summer.

"Pack of three hi-cut briefs, 4 for €10." Lorelai grabbed the pack and ripped open the multi-colored selection, quickly settling on a pink and red striped pair. "Low cut jeans from H&M...never heard of it but apparently it's a nice place to buy clothes." She set down the aged denim before an offended woman.

"You have not heard of H&M?" With a dramatic gasp Lorelai felt like she was on another planet. "I see I still have much to teach you about fashion. It's like Target, but European and fancy; they just really need to open a store in Hartford already." She examined the craftsmanship of the pants and was very impressed, looking in to see if the size was correct. "Good choice on the size too."

"A few more of the hardy, but inexpensive bras that should hopefully get you through the summer and beyond." She put them down, and Lorelai smiled.

"Actually, I have to wear one of these, just because you matched them up so well to their brothers in the package." Pulling out a pink and red bra with polka dots she smiled. "If you don't mind."

"I do not if you're happy." She brought out a six-pack of socks and some blue running shoes for footwear, thankful that Dominique was able to find New Balance somewhere in Paris.

She finished off the outfit with a shirt. "And finally, this was going to be your gift when you got back to Hartford, but heck, I might as well give it to you now." She gave it to the woman and Lorelai unfolded it, wondering what to expect.

Her eyes lit up as she saw what was on the front of the dark red tee, a white screen-printed outline of the state of Idaho's boundaries with the image of a diamond pointing out where Boise was. In script writing along the other side of the shirt, the words "I'm a Real Gem in..." led down to Idaho vertically down in capitals on the other side in the cheesy round 70's font Lorelai knew mostly from _Garfield_. Her heart caught at how Paris deeply thought of her.

"Oh my God, thank you..." She opened up her arms and brought Paris into a hug, holding the girl tightly. "You know me...you so know me. I'm one for cheesy t-shirts and kitschy things!" She was about in tears as she released, tingles across her arms. "I love it! I love it all! Oh God, you really did think of me all summer!"

"Why would I ever lie about that? You're in my heart, Lor, my Wonder Woman, and looking at this shirt, I just knew it was perfect." Lorelai began to get into her clothes quickly with Paris, and within a few minutes both were dressed, running their brushes through their hair in order to make it downstairs on time. Paris turned to look at Lorelai and was struck by how she looked elegant in both her dress last night and now in a t-shirt and jeans. She had bought Lorelai's shirt a little small to get a peek of the older woman's stomach and was not disappointed as everything looked killer on her, while Lorelai was giving her the same lustful look.

"Damn, Par, looking cute today." She smiled at the girl as she tried to play 'casual' yet line up her unencumbered breasts perfectly in her top that just fit her snug. She handed Paris one of her hair wraps to put her locks into a ponytail. "See, you can do sexy and relaxed. Was it that hard?"

"For so long it was. I thought I had to spend what Madeline and Louise do in order to do it. Turns out about ten dollars at a Goodwill in Nampa is enough." She zipped up her jeans, secure with her replacement pair of panties and showing off just a little skin. "That's where I got the jeans. The shirt came from a tip from one of my Rebuilding Together people; I claimed it near the end of my last shift."

"How did that go, by the way? I know you stretched out your trip to where you didn't come back to finish up the summer."

"I got a few days as foreman, the fun stuff anyways is the wiring and drilling. I trust the live electrical work to the companies more and..." She quivered at Lorelai's stare against her. "Honey, are you going to behave today?" In response, Lorelai took her by the waist and held her tight against her, smoothing out the hair tie.

"Behave, for you?" She scoffed. "Oh, I'll behave. Might be in the Austin Powers definition, but I will behave. For you." She pecked Paris's lips. "Thanks for letting me rock this top."

"Thanks for indulging my crazy planning ass and the whole 'business opportunity' thing. I'm glad it got you here, but if I could do it again--"

"Don't. Don't question it." Another kiss, and a giggle as she felt up the slightly bared skin along the petite blonde's waistline. "You've come a long way since May."

"We...both have." Paris nodded. "You know how much I love you, right?"

"Deeply and truly. Like I do." She felt the girl quivering. "You nervous about getting out of here?"

A little whimper and Paris detailed it more. "35% that, 25% all this going right, 5% we get discovered, which I know where we're going we won't, 20% I'm still turned on, 12% excited, 3% feeling a bit scared/powerful that I'm not wearing a bra right now."

"That's about the equation I thought you were." She could feel Paris's skin goosebump. "Want to get downstairs?"

"Before I guide you back to the bed?" Narrowed eyes. "Please."

"Lead the way, Madame." Laughing, the two women closed up the room with their purses in hand and made their way to the elevator, heading to the ground floor to wait for the town car.

On the way out, the two women headed past the front desk, silently sending a greeting towards Dominique, who had perked to see them heading out from the elevator. Twining their fingers together to hold hands, they both gave her a look and a smile as they headed out the door, a silent thanks for her breakfast visit. They walked out, both silently knowing that the clerk could not take her eyes off them at all.

Not seen was Dominique crossing over her legs to quell the heat between them, her need to be a professional overwhelmed by the distracting desire for the two American women. Sighing deeply she watched them both walk out of the lobby from behind, sucking in a breath, her mind overwhelmed with erotic images and knowing they had done more than eat breakfast after she had left.

She shook her head as they departed, and went back to her work, counting the hours until she would be off the clock, and no longer in violation of the rules against on-the-job fraternization, though the company did look the other way after hours. Adjusting her position, she whimpered at how engaged the older brunette woman with the German name was with her.

 _They are both beguiling_ , she thought to herself. _But I do wonder if there is an opening to something more, even if for one sole evening?_

 __Dominique looked down at her legs, knowing she would be distracted all day. If there was one thing the hotel clerk of African heritage was thankful for, it was that their room just happened to be three doors down from a hardly-used paper goods closet.

Though she was not thankful that her modesty would not be there for the remainder of the day. Her wine-colored silk panties, folded within her inner blazer pocket and still dampened from the overwhelming thoughts of taking the funny brown-haired woman to an orgasm as the college-bound blonde watched, were a testament to the fact a stop home would be needed.

 _Thankfully Ms. Gellar has me on call for the week_ , she thought. _I may ask her for a favor later_. Getting back to work in her distracted state, Dominique knew however the day would end, it would be very interesting.  


* * *

"I can't believe you're doing this. This is a little ridiculous, you think?"

"Is it, really? It's not like I'm kidnapping you and taking your body out to a shallow grave near Orleans."

"But it's...it's Paris. A big city. For all I know you're taking me to the _Stade de France_ and making me sit through a soccer match!"

"Why would I see a French soccer match? I follow the Premier League and La Liga, not French soccer. I'd be completely lost."

"Most of America is completely lost on soccer. They want tackles, helmets, big asses in spandex and Tom Brady's hair blowing in the wind."

"You're not dissing the Patriots, are you? My dad bought tickets for the Hartford stadium but found his heart crushed when they decided to stay in Foxboro, although the Super Bowls made up for it."

"No...no, no hate for the Pats. Even though I'm lost on the game. And my own father would probably shiv yours in the parking lot because of his love of the Giants."

"You do realize we are in France, talking about sports, and American football. For the both of us, we're in some kind of backwards world right now."

"And I'm in a blindfold pretty much expecting you to grope me any second."

"I'm not going to grope you, not with the driver in view!"

"Sure, **now** you're playing hard to get."

"I'm not, I'm trying to maintain my modesty."

"Says the girl who quickly obeyed my request to go braless today."

"Oh dear, thank God this partition is nearly soundproof."

"So, where are we going?"

"I can't tell you for...another ten minutes."

Lorelai pouted as the car went southward towards their destination. "You're mean, you know that? You could have just told me."

"Then you wouldn't have a surprise coming, would you?" Lorelai groaned, not satisfied with Paris's response in the least. "Besides, the annoyance you feel now will transfer to the bedroom later, won't it?"

"Man, you're going to keep rubbing in that being stuck with the tickets got us here, didn't it?"

"You're not complaining, are you?"

Lorelai shook her head and sighed. "Absolutely not. And you're right, we get back to the hotel and these things are all coming off."

A laugh. "We had sex only a half-hour ago and you're ready for more?"

"I have an addiction to sex with you. I'm not ashamed to admit that." Paris's mouth opened wide at the bold admission from the innkeeper.

"Wait, you know who I am, right?" _She didn't say what I thought she did_. "How can you compare my lovemaking to...say, the father of your child? Or bedding George Clooney? How about that woman singer who calls herself Pink or...um...Kate Winslet? You know I'm not--"

"Because you know me," Lorelai said honestly, relaxing in the seat and beginning to find a conversation in a blindfold somewhat normal. "You're beautiful, Paris, don't doubt that, but you're deeply cerebral. Even in fast fuck situations you just know where to hit the right button in me to get a reaction. Finally, you have the right emotions about it. You can be soft, but when there's a time to be aggressive you meet me there too, but not to the point you're hurting me."

"Hold on. Hurting you?" Paris considered what Lorelai was alluding to. "Have you been hurt during sex? Too much rough play?"

"Not to the point of hospitalization, but..." A nod. "Times with Christopher when I was younger left me sore and wincing. He loved to push me against the bed frame and I actually suffered a concussion once because of it. Max, the brick wall sex I've told you about. And then a few of my one-nighters have gone in too far or went or things that made me physically hurt. The most I've hurt with you so far was because of my own clumsiness with tripping over my cami." Paris cringed, the thought of this woman in pain through the act of making love too much to take. "You know how to hurt for pleasure, and really, that isn't painful in the least."

"It still does hurt though. Doesn't it?"

"Not if you will it to not hurt." A calming breath, Lorelai set her hand on top of Paris's. "As long as we're consensual adults here, there's nothing wrong with what we're doing. And even if we kind of stretch it, it's cool too. We both know where we stand, and that both of us aren't too vanilla in bed."

"Vanilla?" Paris scoffed. "Please, if we're putting our sexual relationship into the terms of an ice cream flavor, it is not vanilla. Not going to be Rocky Road either. I would say...a combination of two scoops of Jamoca and mint chocolate chip. Never disappointing or dull."

"Hold on..." Lorelai held her hand, hoping she wasn't about to whap Paris with it. "Are you saying that you have actually eaten ice cream in other flavors? Besides Shop-Rite chocolate? I don't think of you as eating ice cream."

A laugh. "Of course not, I have to be plied with Lactaid to even have **one** scoop. But it's been a tradition for years for my dad to take me to Baskin's after my report cards come out for a free scoop with a second one he pays for. I always go with mint chocolate chip on top, fudge brownie for the bottom with the one he buys. Besides the sense of accomplishment I feel for again raking in the A's, it's the second best feeling I have around report card time."

"So naturally...Jamoca is me?"

"You are a perceptive one, Ms. Gilmore." Paris squeezed Lorelai's hand to assure her she was correct. "Also, vanilla is just so...bland. I don't mind it in small doses, but as a full ice cream flavor, it is terribly dull."

"Vanilla swirl with chocolate?"

"Please." A scoff. "That flavor was created as a lame 'compromise' for those who just can't decide what they want or not. Yale has a 'swirly' machine in the dining hall, but I won't be eating any of that adulterated milk and cream they freeze together and call 'soft-serve'."

"As pragmatic as ever," Lorelai said, understanding of Paris's disdain of artificial flavorings. "OK, feelings on frozen yogurt?"

Paris knew Lorelai was unable to see her eyes narrow, but she could hear her groan of disapproval a mile away. "Ice cream for wusses. Seriously, it's vile. Anyone who could bother to digest that crap and then say it tastes delicious? They're clearly lying to themselves. I had it...once. Surprisingly, both my mother and I agreed that we'd rather consume raw unpasteurized goat milk than that again. And that was even with those little jimmy sprinkles added in for alleged flavor."

Lorelai was a bit stunned, closing her eyes behind the blindfold and taking in the explanation as if Paris's words were erotic rather than venting. Taking a breath she came back, still feeling the squeeze of Paris's hand against hers.

"We're more alike than you think," she said, shaking her head. "Same reasons I hate fro-yo."

Paris stared at the woman unable to look at her and smiled. "The nickname sucks too." She felt the bones and tendons in Lorelai's hand, her heartbeat speeding up at the idea of the woman so in love with her even a food rant was making her weak in the knees. "Hey...I just wanted to say I know you'll have fun today. If you don't, I'll be surprised." She looked around nervously as she found the exit to the destination ahead in three kilometers. The driver behind the partition had not even said a word the entire ride, being a different man from the one who drove her from the airport and Lorelai from the hostel.

 _I just wonder..._ Her thoughts suddenly ran to a place she hadn't expected when the car pulled up. She poked her tongue slightly out at her right side, examining the older woman to her left. The sumptuous décor of the town car which had been ordered was still surprising to Paris, who had been used to the Lincoln-style comfort of her own personal limos. There was even a table to each of their sides, along with a DVD screen in front of the partition.

 _Obviously I should've had him take the really long route_ , she thought to herself. She slid her legs out of what was becoming a sensitive cross, out of her comfort zone and brought her hand back, placing it into her lap. She felt unexpectedly warm, her cheeks filling with color as she sucked in her lip, licking around them to remove the dryness. _Get these thoughts out of your mind_ , she scolded herself, feeling guilty for her line of thinking. _You shouldn't...Paris! Come on, are you seriously turned on right now?_

 __She shook her head, trying to find the scenery wonderful. But the road seemed to resemble any stretch of expressway back home in Connecticut; guidance signs, planted trees and the Jersey barrier in the middle. The only difference was in the advertising along the road and guidance signs above it reading in French with measurements in Metric. For all the beauty of France, it seemed the Parisian suburbs were somewhat similar to the ones she knew in Montreal. She knew even the radio would be barely different from Kiss FM back home, except for the token local songs required by the broadcast authority and French-speaking deejays.

It left her with thoughts of the woman next to her. With the windows tinted, the car was darkened, leaving Lorelai shaded in blue. The Idaho shirt fit better than she imagined, the southern part of the state outline seemingly perfectly lined up with her right breast, the Panhandle running just along her bra strap.

She made an inaudible groan at the idea of the gem pointing out Boise being perfectly lined up with her nipple. _Now I'm sexualizing an outline map_. The thought colored her cheeks deeply and she clenched her fingers, the circling of her thumbs an attempt to forget her aroused state.

It failed, as the reminder to 'unclench your fists' from their first physical content filled her mind with the reminder of what else she 'unclenched' that afternoon. She backed up against the seat, the frustration building up again.

The knot of Lorelai's navel was apparent and Paris licked her lips, aroused at the sight, and--

"You were going to say something else?" Lorelai's voice suddenly broke her train of thought as Paris's eyes darted to the left, her heart jumping in shock. "You said something about having fun. You'd be surprised if I didn't?"

Paris nodded, despite knowing Lorelai couldn't see her. "Um...yes. You will have fun. I'm sure of it."

"You're distracted, aren't you?" Paris sucked in a breath.

"Dis...tracted?" Startled, Paris tried to explain it away. "Uhh, no. Just thinking about later on."

"I'm sure. Or barely hanging onto control." Lorelai popped the last syllable. "Honey, I sensed you out last night on scent. It's damned clear you're not feeling innocent today."

"No...I'm fine," she claimed. "I can keep my control for a few more hours. You're here, we're going somewhere. All I need."

"Mmm, along with a few other things." Suddenly, Paris felt a hand against her left hip. "I know you wanted to change your mind about going out today, but you're chivalrous. You don't want to spend the entire day having sex, because it's Paris, the city of romance, which has so much to do. You're...well, you're kind, generous."

"Words I never thought I'd hear in regards to how I am," Paris said in a deadpan manner. She pushed back in her seat, wrapping her hands around her check. "But you're right. I should be well-behaved. We'll be back to the hotel room later tonight where we can be as sexual as we want to be. Not here where even making a move will violate a seatbelt law, which truthfully is the only thing keeping me from ravaging you right now." She hissed at the circling touch along her hipbone. "And that is not helping."

"Mmm, it isn't? I am touching your arm, right?" Paris rolled her eyes as Lorelai's wide grin suggested she knew her fingers were nowhere near her arm. "Though your arm is kinda lacy. I wonder why."

"Oh God." Paris wanted badly to push away, but the husk of the older woman's voice was hitting her in just the right spot. "I take back describing you as a Natalie Merchant lyric. Right now you're a Meredith Brooks lyric."

"I thought you were the bitch among us." The brunette somehow had the sense despite her artificial blindness to nip the blonde's ear. "I'm the tease, remember?"

Paris shook her head, adjusting her jeans and really hoping the exit ramp would come soon. "I gave you one homework assignment and you haven't found that word yet?"

"I didn't really consider it, seeing as I was otherwise distracted. Besides, it suits you better than anything else I could have ever come up with." The younger woman stood still, her body completely on edge as Lorelai's lips brushed against the sensitive hairs just below her ear, the fingers against her hip dipping just below the waistline of her jeans. "Whenever I thought about it, I'd be reminded of your scent and...that was it. Strong, like it is now."

Sucking in her lip, the student's control was quickly falling away. "Stop...teasing. Stop."

"The tearing of your clothes...opening up your legs to me...if not for the big price tag you paid for that stuff last night, I would've torn that skirt right off you and slid my fingernail against your hosiery to open a nice hole to..." A pause, as the innkeeper's voice fell to an aggressive whisper. "Fuck you, Par. The moment I figured out it was you, I was ruined. I fucking hate my body for deciding sleep was better than sex."

"I don't hate it. To the contrary." Despite being chilled slightly by the dark side of Lorelai she loved being brought out, she wanted to play Lorelai's game. "I really can't stand how your breasts look in that shirt."

"I'm poking out right now, aren't I?"

"Yeah." Paris tried to avert her gaze, surprised how even the blindfold wasn't even a factor is tamping the chemistry between them. "I...I want to get to where we're going already. At least that way, we both have to behave."

"Both?" A smile. "Are you suggesting you don't want to be a good and smart girl on this trip?" Paris whimpered as the right thumb of her lover slid along the outer periphery of her mound. "Remember when I said I dreamt of you this summer, and most of my sexual dreams have been internal?" Paris 'mm-hmmed' in quick response. "I just keep having this one that goes on in my head, over and over. When I had to bring you and Rory to that one school north of the Mass./Vermont state line because Ms. Peters's car...well, it petered out."

"To Putney. Yeah." Paris whimpered, unable to forget, because it was the first debate after the rejection she had to attend. With little preparation and her mind on anything else, Paris had her weakest debate ever and felt out of her element. With Ms. Peters distracted with her repair bills while getting a rental car and Lorelai driving them up last minute, it was a disaster to Paris, and Rory had barely earned them a victory coming out of Vermont.

"Rory and I shared a room, you had your own because Angelina didn't get up there until the next morning." Feeling courageous, the woman inched closer to the blonde. "And Rory was deep in sleep. I was up, worried because you hadn't said a word since we left Hartford. Not one. You were still in mourning mode, and worse, still with the gauze from your failed piercing attempt."

Lorelai thought Paris would stop the story, but with no response, continued it on. "The hotel we were put up in? Totally backward. No bathroom in our room, and I had to go through yours to get to it. It was three in the morning, I was up and needed to pee. I was scared to arouse the sleeping beast in you. I tiptoed into your room; I was in a tank and panties, still jarred from coming home from the Inn and having to drive you two straight up into Vermont and chaperone you for that debate. I looked at you, headed into the bathroom and did my business, and just before I flushed the toilet..."

A pause. "And this is true. All very true. I didn't make this up, never told anyone, and I never considered even saying this to you because of how quiet and reserved I always thought you were. But..." she took a deep and audible breath. "Your...sleep-talking."

"Yeah?" Paris narrowed her eyes, expecting the usual mocking done when somebody found out about it. She hated that she did it in the first place and had still not found any way to quiet herself. Expecting to be made fun of she had a harsh response ready, only to be quieted within moments by Lorelai.

"No...no. God, I am not here to say it's silly and abnormal. Not that at all. Remember after the break-up?" The blindfolded woman hoped she sounded same. "I was just caught by your sleep-talking. At first I shrugged it off and prepared to pull the handle. But then you said something that surprised me. You said my name."

Paris winced, her body constricting at the last part of Lorelai's statement. "I...said your name."

"Mm-hmm."

Paris tried to guess why. "Let me guess, I hated your driving up to Vermont? Or how you were annoyed with having to put up with me for a day and a half, with your daughter and Peters there."

"Not because of that." Lorelai gulped, knowing this would make things even more heated than they already were. "I was willing to brush it off as an anomaly. Just you being...well, you're a teenager. Three weeks off of your first time. Working off your feelings."

She settled back in the seat, hoping to get all this in before their arrival. "You said my name and I slid my finger off, not wanting to wake you up. I didn't know what you were thinking about, but the calling of my name let me closer into the room itself. At first I just thought you were awake and doing a self psych-up before the debate, which I could see you doing, but then I saw how you were sleeping. Or should I say...dreaming."

The blonde felt her body twist at the idea of Lorelai watching her sleep. "I hadn't really glanced at you when I came in the room. I didn't think there was a need. But as I approached the bed, I could tell there was something going on. I didn't know what, but then you said my name again. Drawing out slowly. Three syllables, parted in a whisper. Not like 'get it together, Lorelai'." She said the name in the style of the girl on the hellpath, making Paris wince at how near-perfect her imitation was. "Like...'get your dress off, Lor-el-laaaai.'"

"Fuck!" Feeling uncomfortable, she knew this was easily a moment where Rory could have been in the room. "Lor--"

"Hon, you didn't tell Rory at all. I promise you. She did all she could to stay out of your angry and pouty way that night. So this was just between us." The woman kept her voice even, determined to finish the tale. "Well, you, really. And you were having what seemed to be a pretty deep fantasy about me."

"That's impossible. I didn't even know I wanted you until the tickets."

"Same here," Lorelai argued. "I figured you were just finding the nearest hot body to fantasize about and it happened to be me."

Clenching her teeth, Paris knew exactly why her mind was probably plagued that evening. "I...I can't believe it. My mind, it was focused on the debate. I have a serious 'no fraternization' rule before a debate. In fact, I remember that night I took a Lunesta in order to kill every damned sexual thought I had. You're...you're just wrong."

"I heard my name. You were in your dorky nightgown, usually looking as sexy as Wee Willie Winkie, I'm sure." Paris saw Lorelai bite her lip. "Except...you had worked it up your legs, rolled It up. Between your legs, you had in your sleep crumpled the bottom sheet into a ball and squashed it between them, and..."

The recall of how she woke up the next morning hit Paris's frontal lobe with force. She had been embarrassed as the state of her sleep was relayed to her, reminding her of how close she came to having her most intimate of thoughts made fun of.

"The gown was pushed up. I saw nothing untoward, but...you were in your sleep, unknowingly working yourself off."

With wide eyes, Paris felt mortified. "And...what did you do? Stand there? Stare?"

"To be honest? I got out of there and threw myself into bed. But not before your sexual need seared itself into my brain. I thought it had disappeared after that, but obviously we're here five months later and..."

The brunette emphasized how even then she cared for the girl. "Nobody ever has known except me. They never will." Her finger still flirting with the blonde's fringe, she cleared it up further. "Until we came onto each other in the classroom, I absolutely had no remembrance of the event, and I'm sure you didn't at all either except for waking up a little damp and probably mortified in the morning."

"I honestly don't remember, sleeping pill and all." With a huff, Paris took in a deep breath, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I wish I knew what I was dreaming about, but when I take medication it's often just some kind of haze that I'm in, one that I feel like I could pass out from. That's how I felt in the morning--"

"Disorientated, out of it."

"Yeah." Nodding, Paris remembered details about the morning. "I was still sad from the last few weeks and just frustrated from everything." Sensing an emotional moment, Lorelai turned herself around, moving her hand to the young woman's hip. "Other classmates were teasing me for my breakdown, some of them the piercing, and then...there were the others. I heard plenty of others varying the phrase 'serves the bitch right' in many forms when I got back. And when Francie saw me at that first student gov meeting since I came back..." Her voice had went from steady to hurt, the syllables rattling from her throat. "Everyone was there. I felt like a failure and when she looked at me, with this false 'welcome back, Paris' speech that had hidden taunts at me for not getting into Harvard. It was by far, the worst I ever felt in my life."

"Hold on...she gave you a back-handed speech basically cutting you down for not getting into your dream school. And where is Rory in all of this?" The parent's curiosity of how her daughter would react to her friend's first public reaction to her rejection was natural, and Paris was scared to state her actual reaction.

"I...I..." The young woman was scared. Hurting. She had stayed quiet about it for four months, afraid to say a word. _This is supposed to be a romantic getaway_ , she reminded herself, _not a master class in your own fucking self-loathing_.

"Paris?" Despite the darkness in her eyes, she could easily sense Paris's fears by her labored breathing and the tone in her voice. "You can tell me."

"No." She attempted to be strong, but the refusal came as more of a whimper. "I...I cannot--"

"Cannot?" The blindfolded innkeeper was surprised at Paris _not_ answering a question.

"It's not a question of cannot. This is because...you're her mother. I--"

Lorelai clenched her free fist, knowing whatever the girl would say was trying to hide a moment in her daughter's life she would not be proud of.

"Tell me," she advised strongly. "Paris, I am not going to yell at you, and I'm not going to break your heart. For this moment at least, I'm listening to you as a concerned friend who needs to know."

"But--"

"Paris." Her assuring voice hoped to calm the girl, and Lorelai's fingers made an assuring circle along her hipbone. "I need you to tell me."

Closing her eyes, Paris took in a deep breath and confessed what had haunted her deep inside for months.

"I heard her and Francie...talking after the meeting. She didn't say anything during, there was nothing wrong there. But I had left after it and forgot a binder so I was about to head in to retrieve it. But I stopped because Francie and Rory were talking."

"Wait, the girl--"

"I'm not finished." She held her thumb close within her fist. "It wasn't Francie trying to bring me down again. But...there was something she did. Something, I wish would have been done for me."

Paris held herself in silence for a minute, trying to compose herself for what was to come. Ready for Lorelai to even open the door and throw herself out the car, she prepared for anything. With tears building in her eyes, the usually firm blonde prepared to show the strong innkeeper she knew that her innocent and wide-eyed daughter was more than she knew.

"In...in the week after, Rory was my vice president. She was supposed to take over the duties I could not carry out. The thing is, I had not even had meeting notes mailed or slipped in my locker to go over. I had gone in uninformed as to what happened in the time I had missed. But in the time I was gone, Rory...Rory..."

Her throat hitched as she mentioned it. "She...she handed the gavel that week...against Ms. Peters's wishes, mind you...off t-t-t-o...Francie."

Lorelai felt the air sucked out of the small space of the car interior. Paris described how Francie was able to push through a few things without her vote, and that Rory did not contest them. She did not want to believe that this was true, that her daughter conspired whom she said was a bully had yielded the floor to her in Paris's absence.

"I was just outside the door, unseen. Like I was when you and Max were..." a nod from the other woman. "I heard them talking and then they moved onto something and..."

She let it out fully. "For all she was against the plan to take me down, the impeachment mess and everything...Rory actually got help from Francie for going along with the plan."

 _Here goes nothing. And everything_. "While I fucked up my interview...Francie used connections her parents had to Harvard to...finesse things for Rory. Smooth them out."

Lorelai took in the measured wording. "As in?"

"Rory wrote a peer recommendation for Francie to get into Brown. In exchange, she did the same for Rory for Harvard. And to boot, while I bombed my interview with an admission officer who lets in only a 1/3 of her quota and I was doomed the moment I walked in..."

Quietly, she said what she had held back. "Rory got a one-year guy. The most...green they had. Easily susceptible to sex appeal...flirting and compliments. For the toughness it takes to get into Ivy League, the Jarvises had planted this guy into the office in order to get in the people they know will run Francie's future political campaigns. It is ugly, full of nepotism and a process that despite all the talk in publications, is downright fucking corrupt. She had the experience with that family, but that's window dressing. As with politics...it is all about whom you know."

"So what I'm saying is--"

"No. I got it. Rory got in with grades, but by also taking advantage of you and playing both you and Francie like fiddles."

"Oh God, you hate me," Paris said, curling herself protectively. "You think I made this up."

"Paris..." A pause. "I know you wanted the blindfold thing to help keep a surprise, but I feel like I need to see you now." Her voice was firm and had lost most of the innocent heft it carried.

"Lorelai--"

"I need to see you. May I take the blindfold off?"

The Yalie wasn't about to argue. "G-go ahead." Lorelai reached behind, removing the mask-like cover from her eyes and then closing her eyes so she wouldn't be blind from the light adjustment. For a minute Paris though she was done for. That Lorelai would order the car to St. Christopher's and drag her out by the ear to make her answer for what she thought was slander against her daughter. She cowered in her seat, wondering if this was it, her Waterloo moment. She saw Lorelai's eyes open and was concerned that she might be revealed as a liar.

However, by the tone of voice alone, the older Gilmore woman knew in her own heart that her lover had held back ugly truths about her daughter, scared to lose her friendship after it came to a head in that gym class. She had not told anyone of the disgust and horror about how Rory had instigated the swordfight further, instead of running away or clenching Paris straightaway, fighting her and forming it to her advantage to embarrass her friend. Of revealing Jamie's relationship to Francie in the first place, mistakenly or not. _She was trusting you_ , she said at the time to her daughter. _You should not have even entertained going behind her back at all_.

The talk had been enough punishment for her to dole out to Rory, but clearly it had not reinforced anything further than that. She looked into the deep eyes of the blonde, and the sadness within them, the hurt and pain expressed on her face, showed Lorelai that what she had been trusted with, it was all indeed true.

She had read the Harvard letter, and found it unexpectedly congratulatory of Rory's grades, when Paris's were at least higher by .15 and deeper in the subjects she excelled at. Even she knew Rory's lack of extracurriculars would be looked at closely, but she was surprised to note that she hadn't done much more than she had in her junior year. It remained impossible to believe Rory was sought after, as only a few schools she had applied for as safeties came back, while all of Paris's safeties worked out.

The interview had been too easy. When Rory came out of the room, she had hardly broken a sweat, while Paris described her experience as a gauntlet. And now hearing this, and knowing that the Jarvises were the type to grease the wheels to get their daughter and friends where they wanted to go?

Paris was still pushed back, scared and afraid, clutching the belt latch so Lorelai couldn't undo it. She couldn't read Lorelai and knew suggesting Rory would be doing improper things would be grounds for her to never speak to either of them again.

Lorelai raised her hand and Paris clenched her eyes, expecting a slap.

Instead...

"I do believe you." Whispering, the open hand Lorelai presented instead took a tissue in the console, and rested it beneath Paris's right eye, running it down her cheek to catch a streak of a tear falling down her face. Paris slowly opened her eyes, heart beating faster than normal as the woman she loved glanced at her with concern.

"Lor--"

"I believe in you fully," she admitted. "And did they continue to talk all year?"

"In public? Only professionally. But privately I know they talk all the time and...she's asking for another recommend into the sorority Francie's family and Emily were in when they went to school."

"Of course. Which will entitle her beyond belief." Lorelai didn't know what to think. "God, I didn't even know about the meeting. By the time you were talking about the grad cruise with the parents you must've been exhausted."

"Deeply so. Trying to bury myself with that prep, it made me forget." Lorelai offered her shoulder, one Paris took thankfully. "But once I went to bed at night, I admit I had too many nights where I needed the pills to sleep."

"What about now?" Worried, Lorelai thought that her lover had developed a dangerous habit of depending on them. "Do you--"

"Not since the second night. There have been rough nights, but I never want to be at that point again. There were even a couple nights where I was forgetful and took a second dose. I both barely made it to school and felt out of it on those days. I haven't even seen the Lunesta bottle since I left Hartford."

"Thank God." Lorelai cringed at the idea of Paris so down that sleep was her only respite from life. She caressed Paris's chin, tipping her gaze towards her and determined that the girl could make up some elaborate yarns, but in their processes of conversation, nothing ever sounded rehearsed between them. She knew there had been no way from their conversations that Paris would have brought up the latter months of Chilton so easily. _There may be some natural exaggeration or off observations_ , she thought to herself, _but I know my daughter, and since her acceptance came, it's as if she now considers Paris lower than her._

 __"I honestly can see the truth in everything you just told me," she said to Paris. "Especially with how I've felt this summer. I know the rejection still hurts."

"It does. Still does. And the reason I didn't say anything about Rory and Francie...I...I was scared of going through the same loop over again. Friendship, complications, rejection. It almost ended with being slashed by an epee the last time. I didn't want it to get to that point again. Just..."

"Surviving." Lorelai understood. Three more months, and Paris just wanted to move on. To forget. "You wanted to get through."

"And I did. Except I forgot one thing." Her voice lowered down as she took in the sight of the innkeeper still brushing her fingers against her, still enchanted that such a free spirit, an eternal teenager, could fall for someone so young, but mature. "I never planned on falling for you."

Lorelai nodded, taking in the little wispy hairs along the edge of the student's chin. Even in the dimness of the car cabin, a blush was still visible. "Not in my plans either. But I think we make each other better. Even if I have to be your dirty little secret, we've already had such a deep relationship, that I don't want to lose it."

"No...no...losing it." Her breath shallowed as she began to realize that unknowingly, Lorelai had soothed her by cupping her left breast, a finger along her nipple curling in and out, making a wound-up figure-eight. She whimpered as the hand moved away, Lorelai sensing the tension. "Can't let you go now. Not when I've buried myself this deep into things." She nervously laughed as a sign denoting the upcoming exit from the expressway came forward and the car merged to the right to take the ramp. Noticing the shift, Lorelai looked up to see what direction they were headed, finding a sign to the left. She stretched out her neck to read it, cursing that she didn't have the front view due to the partition.

"V...v...versus? I can't read that. Something about a versus center, but it's spelled with the -re at the end like we're in Toronto." Another line of signs was at the stop sign, but she wasn't able to make them out because of words she hadn't learned in French yet. "Crud, where are we?"

"Still not telling you," Paris teased, her smile evil to the older woman. "But I think you'll love it."

"Fine." Sighing, Lorelai was content to allow herself to be teased as to where they were going. "But if we're headed to some place boring, you owe me."

"If you wanted boring we'd be at the Bastille museum. The history of the guillotine is either visual Sominex or has you running from the building in fear, depending on how you feel."

"That bad a tour?"

"How they managed to make capital punishment a dull topic is a wonder of the Western world." She clasped her hand into Lorelai's. "There is no way we're not going to have fun this afternoon. I guarantee it."

"OK there, Men's Wearhouse CEO guy." Lorelai laughed at how Paris managed to sound just like him.

Paris rolled her eyes as she realized exactly how she sounded. "I watched too much local TV in Idaho this summer, especially _Wheel of Fortune_. I swear, that show is like elderly catnip. My nanny could watch that insipid show forever."

"I almost got on it when their tour came by Hartford a few years ago, but I didn't make the final cut."

"Let me guess, you were too smart for the show somehow."

"Well, that and my insult of Pat Sajak as smug and annoying probably didn't help."

"My dream is to get on _Jeopardy!_ ," the blonde admitted. "I'd love to stay on so long Trebek gets tired of my presence and tries to bribe me off the show."

"That's a good dream to hold." Lorelai smiled, feeling deeply comfortable as the tangent of game shows led them away from one of Paris's dark places, something the young woman was thankful for as the expressway turned into a two-lane road, and then a four-lane arterial. As she looked out the window a few times while going over her travel path in the West, she felt nervous with each and every kilometer. Then with the assurance of the driver the previous day, he began to take a few residential streets in order to get to the vista Paris intended.

She had never taken the route herself, but had studied it on the map. Going over each turn in her mind, she felt like a human GPS, the familiar drone of the automated voice in her Jaguar nearly seared in her memory. As the second to last turn was made onto _Rue Vauban_ , she knew it wasn't too much longer.

Finally, the seemingly long journey from the center of Paris was finishing. With the right turn onto _Avenue de Paris_ , it wasn't long, about three kilometers. The partition had remained up, the conversation distracting Lorelai enough to not ask where they were going.

The long-winded description of how Lorelai's hair smelled from the hotel's shampoo certainly helped too. Although internally she was cursing herself for being so flowery with her words, she had to admit the mention of the woman's 'flowing Irish curls' which caused a deep blush on the woman's cheeks was definitely worth it.

Then the turn she had waited for all day was made as the expressway-wide avenue lined with beautiful old-style and modern architecture made the last bend towards the axis of its destination. _Thank God_ , she said. _Any longer on this road and I'd be ill_. She hit the call button to the front.

" _Mon bon monsieur, vous pouvez réduire la partition. Merci._ "

" _Je le ferai, madame._ " Within moments, the partition came down, revealing the view from the front, out of the windshield. Both women adjusted their eyes to the extra light before the blindness passed, revealing a sight that left them breathless.

"Lovely ladies," the older driver from the day before called out, "I welcome you to the city of Versailles. In the distance..."

"The...Palace." Lorelai completed the sentence, holding her hand close to her heart as the wide avenue opened up the sight a mile away of the colossus that had been the seat of power before the Revolution. An edifice she had read about and was in awe about for years, and which had become one of the most inspiring templates she would insist on having within the walls of the Dragonfly.

A place that meant so much to her, that she had never seen. "Noooo...."

She couldn't believe it. In all of her life, she had never been so close to a place that outside of Rodeo Drive, she had wanted to make a pilgrimage to. She began to hyperventilate as Paris looked on in concern.

"Lor, are you OK?" Paris shook her head. She expected the pinnacle of their visit together to be awe-inspiring and breath-taking, but not in the literal sense. "Hey...breathe."

"I...I am...breathing." Lorelai struggled with the concept, pushing herself as forward as she could in the seatbelt, taking in the surrounding architecture around her. Tears fell freely and she was overwhelmed with so many emotions she felt like her heart would explode. "This...this isn't another dream, is it?"

"No, and I'm not pinching you again." A smile. "Well?" The gleaming palace reflected in her eyes as the buildings in front of it came into view, along with the needed but not-so-beautiful parking lot in front of the building.

Somehow in the space of a minute, the roles of the women had switched. Paris was the mature one presenting a beautiful sight to Lorelai, who was clenching her own fists.

"It...it...it's..." Whatever word she had to describe the 17th century building was caught in her throat, her mouth wide open. Setting a calming hand on Lorelai's back, Paris knew there was only one thing she could do to bring Lorelai into what was about to be a dream come true.

"When I got to visit the Inn before it was destroyed, I was in your office waiting for Rory while she finished her weekend work, and I saw all these books on your shelves. So many of them were about France. But you had about eight, ten books, some of them just history texts, others coffee table books, about the Palace. And I meant to talk to you about it, but I never did because I eventually had to get to work." Lorelai's gaze finally moved towards the girl, still in shock.

"Eventually I asked Rory about it. I want to say it was a good and informative conversation, but it was short and to the point. She just said you had a thing for French architecture and got some books about it because Versailles is basically that. But I knew there was more and..."

Now she batted Lorelai's eyes with a tissue. "A few weekends ago, before we became involved, I asked Sookie when she was on break and...it really gave me some clarity I didn't know would have."

"You...you talked to her?"

"She was curious as to why I was there and we talked." Paris shrugged it off and went on. "And eventually I learned that coming here, it's been a dream since...well, you saw _Cinderella_ and wanted to live in a palace and your father brought out a couple of those books for you to read. Most cases that would be awfully misguided as what little girl wants to read about the architectural design of a building bigger than, but much more awe-inspiring than a Costco, but for you..."

A pause. "I know what happened, Lor." Whispering, she kissed the woman's forehead and continued on. "That your grandmother was going to take you on the most awe-inspiring tour of it. It was going to be wonderful, the highlight of your summer trip in 1985. It would have been, too. Had..."

Paris couldn't voice it. She knew exactly what happened, and that even if it was widely known, Sookie had trusted her with it in understanding that it still hurt her best friend to this day that her eyes never laid sight in the country suburb west of Paris. That Emily had toured Lorelai out of ever wanting to love Paris again, and the innkeeper had been denied her one want in her teenage life.

"When I was at O'Hare planning this all out, I had everything in mind and nearly had it all planned. But at the last minute, that detail popped out at me. The books, the awe, the need to inspire your baby based on this place. To bring the beauty of a tranquil palace to Stars Hollow. I know I can't give you the Trix-approved Grand Tour, not on two days notice. But I can give you the next best thing."

Opening her purse, she grabbed out the tickets and brochure describing the tour they'd be going on. "This...this tour isn't some bus and tour guide thing. Our group is about ten, and we have near six hours to explore slowly. I paid a lot more for this than I could have the usual tour. We also are accompanied by people dressed normally, not ready to gawk at the world's largest stainless steel spork in trucker's hats, fanny packs and...disposable cameras." The term was spat out like she wanted to spite anyone for paying $10 to waste plastic and paper, and worse, to a UNESCO World Heritage Site. "We're actually a little later in the day than advised to visit because they advise a nine o'clock arrival. However, since we're using a good tour group, we should make good time, even starting out at noon and going to 6:30pm, and my plan is to sort of go backward from recommendations and..."

Paris wandered off. "Hey, are you--"

Finally able to draw in a breath, Lorelai whimpered as the last quarter-mile before the parking lot came into view, trying to enunciate her wonder.

"I...I..." She shook her head, the towering front of the building beckoning her. It was even more beautiful than the books, and the programs she taped off History International and the boring late night classroom shows on CPTV. "You didn't have to do this. I...I could have made time. Maybe in a few years, but--"

"We're here now though. You wanted to go through Europe and see sights that you never were able to with your parents. This is one of them, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then we shall see it, and you will have the memories to last a lifetime, but not only that, the details of architecture to examine up close that will make the Dragonfly Inn one of the finest establishments of its type in all of New England. Well, within Taylor's insane historical preservation requirements, of course."

Lorelai staying mute for a moment, shaking her head, just lost in her thoughts as she went over it all. _I would have never dreamed of any of this in a...million's an understatement. Billon's still too little. Yeah, a...a trillion years. I'm at my childhood embodiment of Cinderella Castle. Versailles. Louis XIV's place. I'm staying pretty much where his lady got her head cut off and...OK, a little morbid, but I'm here. After so much damned hard work and so much stress, I'm finally here. But not with anyone I ever expected._

 __She saw the need and want in Paris's eyes for her to enjoy the tour. How somehow Gellar Manor turned out to be a mini-Versailles, though Americanized and modern. She then clutched Paris's hand and to the student's surprise, placed a soft kiss upon her knuckles, and then with her wide smile, disarmed Paris's worries completely.

"How on Earth could you decode where I wanted to go most in Paris when God knows how many guys and my own parents couldn't even figure it out?" She sniffed back a tear. "You figured this out so well and, I'm in awe right now. You got me to the place I wanted to be most on my vacation."

"Did you have it planned?"

"Of course I did! Until Rory changed our next destination to be Normandy. I get it, but, I wanted an extra day here and..." She stopped. "OK, we're going to stop now. This is our romantic getaway. We're here, together. Phones are off. For all anyone knows I'm stuck listening to Don Lapre convince me to sell the Inn to put cheap classified ads in shopper papers." Like a light switch, Lorelai's mood went from shock to giddiness in seconds flat. "You're hot, I'm hot, we have all this time to explore this place, and there's nothing stopping us. So...I guess I should thank you, Par. Whatever you had to do, I'm sure I'm going to love every moment of it." Her face lit up, and Paris knew that the surprise would be well-received for sure.

"Thank goodness," she said in relief. "I...you know, the restaurant meeting last night? That was easy compared to this. Because we're stuck with each other for seven hours. In public."

"We did good last night though, right?"

Paris nodded. "Yeah, we did." The blonde grew excited herself for the fun to come. "Just one thing though?"

"Hmm?"

As the town car pulled towards the front drive with the driver giving them instructions for later pickup, Paris wrinkled her eyes. "Please, please do not act like an overexcited tourist! I get someone like that on every tour--"

"Par?"

"Hmm."

"I'm gonna be more concerned with my neck than being overexcited. The ceilings, the moulding, the gold work and fine details. I am going to be in so much memorization of what I find here today that I might mistake you for a Chippendale chair when we get back to the hotel later."

"And that's why I have the camera." Pulling in front of the building, the two women were in stunned awe. "Along with five memory cards and a ten pack of batteries. We're gonna need them."

"Yeah...do they have GPS collars too? This place looks like we could get lost in it." Lorelai knew the grounds were much bigger than she even imagined. Just the back part could hold four Stars Hollow-sized towns alone. "You thought the theater with the Bangles show was tall, that looks like a Punch and Judy playhouse compared to this place!"

"Well, we're sticking together, no doubt about that." The car stopped and the driver offered his goodbyes as he helped both women from the car, where 87°F heat hit them both straight off. "Or being sticky together." Paris grumbled. "I'm going to melt, I know it."

"You have SPF 482 sunscreen though, right?" Paris's eyes widened at Lorelai's words, remembering the one thing she had forgot, as her bottle of No-Ad 60 had been emptied and thrown out in Utah as she assumed she would be home in the next few days.

"I did...in America." Thankfully Lorelai chose at that moment to pull out her own small bottle of SPF 45 picked up at a German drugstore. "Oh, thank God."

"Wasn't going to take any chances," Lorelai said. "I only want to bring back souvenirs from Europe, not a case of melanoma. And naturally, we did run out of time so I knew you'd forget, but there was no way I was going to put a stop to foreplay just to get this stuff on." She handed the bottle to Paris. "I put mine on after my shower, so you can hit the bathroom and then we'll be ready."

"You're sure? I--"

"You don't owe me anything at all. Especially after giving me this." The car pulled away from the curb, leaving both women in awe looking at the plaza in front of the Palace, Lorelai just shaking her head. "Damn...this would take a lotta baby-sitting for you to buy."

"About 75 years worth, and I'm sure their maintenance and garden bills would give Martha a coronary and aneurysm at the same time." She neutrally set her fingers on Lorelai's back, wondering why she had never came here in the first place. "Funny how the little place in Stars Hollow has you happy enough, but you get here and you look like you want to have your way with the place." Lorelai's grin seemed a little unnatural to her. "As in literally so."

"I...I really do like that?" Paris nodded. "Geeze, see what I've held in all these years?"

"I do." She began to guide the woman towards where they would pick up the tour and the bathroom to apply her sunscreen and get in a quick hand wash before the tour departed.

Internally she was nervous, with a couple of darts of her head to make sure nobody else was there, or if Rory made a surprise visit to Versailles, even though the call earlier made it clear she was on the regular tourist track of central Paris. It was her first true time out in public with Lorelai, and even though it still felt like a completely secret date where nobody knew them at all, there was still the idea of one of her mother's friends from Europe somewhere ready to blab on her.

However, she couldn't see anyone. Lorelai felt the unease as Paris's fingers went flaccid, and just before the restroom, she knew something was wrong.

"Par?" Her voice suddenly rang through Paris's ears, startling her from a worrying monologue.

"Wha...huh?" Paris shook her head. "Oh, I...I'm sorry."

"No, it's OK. I know there isn't anyone around. We're going to be fine," she assured. "Besides, the haircut and you in jeans and a tee should take anyone you know off-track. Speaking of which..." She looked at her bag. "I...I did ball it up. I expected cafes and maybe something avant-garde. Not...a royal tour. Kinda feels disrespectful now. It's in my purse."

Paris's cheeks colored as she remembered her state. "Y...your fault." Then a smile. "Kinda mine too though." She found the garment placed in her hand in a way it wouldn't attract attention. "Nice fantasy, but for this, it's a terrible reality."

"A terrible rash-filled reality." In front of the ladies room, Lorelai slid her knuckles against Paris's before letting her go to the restroom. "See you in a bit, much better supported."

"Thank you." Paris made her way into the public restroom, quickly finding a stall and stripping off her top, then putting her bra back on, which made her wince immediately.

"Oh, God." Not from hurting. The scent of her lover's perfume from it being in her purse overwhelmed her and she sighed deeply, content to know that certain article would not hit the wash for quite awhile unless it got truly dirty. Despite the temperature, the skin on her arms dimpled as if she was freezing as she looked herself over, nervous, her lip quivering as she considered where she was.

"I got her here," she told herself. "To Versailles." Her eyes closed, she filled her lungs with air before letting the breath out slowly. "I really do have it deep for her, don't I?" Putting her shirt back on, she knew she was probably crazy, talking to herself and thinking herself unworthy of the innkeeper.

She remembered being in this same position months before. In Philadelphia, before Jamie took her on the dream tour of Independence Mall she had always dreamed of. Inside the Liberty Bell Pavilion restroom on a lovely December day, looking at herself in the mirror. She came out of the stall to look at herself in the mirror.

That day, she looked in the mirror in that worn-out bathroom and knew she was putting on a front. Despite the happiness she would show when she came back to Hartford, it never felt right with Jamie. The dream tour may have never been if the Pratt parents had not told Jamie that Paris was bored in their house and needed to get out.

Another trigger had been the fact that her precious Whalers had been made fun of for no longer existing when he invited her to watch a Flyers game in his parents' luxury box. It had been the sudden trigger for their first fight, where she had to defend the honor of her New England teams to him.

"You'll eventually become a Phillies fan," he told her, in what she thought was a teasing tone at the time.

Later when they began to fray though, the tone became more threatening in hindsight.

Stretching over the sink, the blonde looked over herself now. Unlike Philly, she was hardly green any longer. She had gone through the best and the worst that a relationship could offer.

But she knew the problem with it from the beginning.

"I never wanted it," she told herself, activity bustling behind her and chattering in multiple languages echoing through the hallway and into the restroom. She closed her eyes, remembering that the only reaction she could muster upon seeing Jamie in the courtyard was the thought in her mind of _Are you fucking kidding me?_. But she knew if she didn't go forward, she would forever be known at Chilton as the frigid bitch who let down a guy who got down on bended knee for her.

But likewise, Lorelai also bent something to prove her love. A laugh.

"She bent her ankle, but still..." She glowed as she realized this was a much different situation. "I'm going to go with her, tour, and when we get back to the hotel, have a long soak in the tub." She felt her spirits rise as she looked herself over in the mirror, also knowing that Lorelai hadn't grabbed the 'casual' bra she usually wore, but instead one she had picked up with the one she wore the previous night to give herself a little confidence boost.

"I really have to be proud of these things," she told herself, her eyes wrinkling in happiness. "Well, here goes nothing." Heading out of the bathroom, she was surprised to find that Lorelai already knew where to go and was talking with the leader of their tour group.

"Hey, Paris! This is Martine, she's our guide!" A tan woman slightly older than Lorelai guided Paris over and the young woman felt at ease right away, knowing just from looks that Martine was a seasoned pro.

"Pleased to meet you, Paris," she greeted, holding out her hand for Paris to shake as the girl noted that her English was great. "And may I ask--"

"Yes, I was." An eyeroll, and a laugh. "Can we leave it at that, please?"

"Umm, I was actually going to ask if you have your ticket?" In her other hand, Martine already had Lorelai's ticket, and Paris looked to her lover, who had tried to avert her from the obvious question. "Not your conception."

"How did you--" A sigh. "Of course." Reaching into her pocket, she grabbed her ticket out and handed it to Martine. "I can be so daft."

"It's fine," Martine assured her as the other groups in the party came forward in the small intimate group. Rather than the pushy American group of amateur shutterbugs in loud clothing currently streaming in, Paris and Lorelai found themselves with a lovely old couple from Leeds in the north of England, a small school group from Spain and another couple from Kansas rounding out the ten.

After the introduction and the rundown of the rules, the group went in, Lorelai in awe as Paris kept herself close. Like a young child her attention went everywhere, her head filling with facts, figures and memories of the architecture and interior design to come, while Paris reveled in the old history of pre-Revolutionary times.

Both women knew before they even entered that the Palace would prove to be the perfect place for them both to visit.  


* * *

**_Continued in next 'chapter'..._** (because this chapter is too big for AO3, oops!)


	5. Unexpected Foreign Journeys & Beautiful Parisian Romances (Pt 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of Chapter Four as it was too large for AO3 to process. Love and coincidences bond Lorelai and Paris together for two night and two days in the French capital of Paris. More is found out about each other, unexpected things are revealed and love brings the two women closer and sooner than they ever expected, leading into a later night of passion.

Lorelai's feet were sore. Even though she had been prepared for the tour to be long, she didn't know how long in reality it would be.

Especially in new tennis shoes. They were very, very comfortable, but after walking the length of what seemed to be thirty Inn-to-Luke's trips, she was happily exhausted.

Mentally however, she was still perked up. _That's what the dance marathon does for you_ , she thought as the tour went through the broad gardens and canals of the Palace. Everything was just so awesome to her, and she soaked in every word of Martine's wonderful commentary on the environs. She had even been very chatty with the others in the group, to the point where the Kansas couple was very probable on a foliage trip to Connecticut next fall, with the northern Englanders possibly following with their own American trip.

What was amazing her though, was that usually Paris, who in the chaperoning experience she had to museums and the Sox game, was always asking questions, pestering the guide to the point of exhaustion, or droning on and on about oddball baseball statistics that would make even fans of sabermetrics glaze their way into a coma, was very quiet. Just in awe.

Both women listened deeply and intently to Martine's guiding of the edifice, fascinated by history and the impressive costs to build and maintain it. The copious fountains and greenery, along with the detail in the architecture, stonework, all of the artistry of construction coming together to form the story of one of the world's most fascinated buildings.

Paris snuck glances at Lorelai, flustered at how well everything was coming together. She had made a conscious decision to be quiet through the entire tour, enjoying the tour and able to know that Lorelai was thankful to be there. She took in the way the woman walked, how she lit up with Martine getting into deep conversations about what she knew about the Palace, and how it was easy to befriend her with just a smile and a glance. Her heart kept skipping as she saw the Lorelai she remembered from that first September morning at Chilton.

_I know it was silly, but even as I was conspiring against Rory...she was getting to me in that part of the brain I didn't want her to._ She still remembered going home angry from the burned question spree Rory got in the class, but she still didn't know how a woman like Lorelai could look how she did at her age. At first she even thought Lorelai was Rory's sister, until Louise's read through the file told her otherwise.

Somehow she was able to rebuild her castle that evening, but not before she found her dreams overwhelmed by long limbs, a pink shirt and cut-offs. For a long time she was able to put it aside after that, but the inevitably of the parent's meetings and Lorelai volunteering for it, along with Rory being her seemingly permanent partner, meant the tall woman would be a permanent part of her life.

_Now it's even more so_ , she thought as the tour hit the ¾ point of the day within the Hall of Mirrors, the definite high point of Paris's interest in the Palace. As Lorelai was in awe of the room, Paris's mind pictured the famous paintings of the Armistice signing, all those world leaders in one room to settle up what they thought would be the last Great War eighty-four years in the past, not knowing that Germany wasn't exactly happy with the results and Mother Russia was preparing to sweep across most of northern Asia and eastern Europe.

The history of the room echoed through it, as it had for many years, Lorelai treading cautiously as if a past king would come to life so she would eventually bow before them. The solemn look upon Lorelai's face caught Paris by surprise, and unnoticed she had been able to get a couple pictures of the woman lost in thought as she stared at her own reflection. The two women had not talked to each other in four hours, content in soaking in the history before Martine was thankful for a little time to relax.

"...and, that is the Hall of Mirrors. You are free to wander the room or take a break for the next ten minutes, before our last quarter of the tour heads towards the apartments section. Enjoy the rest." With a smile, Martine and the group broke apart throughout the room, with Paris and Lorelai finding their own little place in the middle of the hall, reuniting together with a brush of their hands.

Immediately, Lorelai could tell that Paris was the one more exhausted than she was, her eyelids drooping and back seemingly hunched slightly. She slid her fingers along the girl's apparent left shoulder blade and nodded down at her.

"You OK?" she asked. "Seems you're a little quiet there, Smartie."

Paris nodded, with a slight smile. "Just in awe. So much of it. I knew this was big, but I'm overwhelmed by it. To you, it must be nothing since you've seen every room in pictures in your books."

"Oh, I'm still shocked. This place...it's huge. But we caught a break with this tour group you got. It's...intimate. We don't have to crowd around. But you...you're all kinds of distracted. What's up, Par?"

With a blush, Paris lowered her stare and whimpered. "I...I..." She scuffed her shoe against the floor, the camera strap tangled against her fingers. "I'm...flustered. Don't tell anyone."

Lorelai nodded. "Flustered?"

"Well, I'm here. With you. And you came with me voluntarily and...I sound a little silly but I think I'll forget most of this tour, to be honest. But you, the way you are and you're here and, I'm still trying to get my head around it. That you're with me, and you're happy about it, dirty little secret and all."

"What you're saying then is, you're having a crisis of the heart and the mind." Paris looked up, her mouth agape. "You're in a very historical place, yet your mind is still on this whole 'I get to ravish this beautiful woman' track. You're in a place you've never been before, your head and your heart being completely off-focus from each other."

The blonde narrowed her eyes. "You think that?"

"I do. You've taken probably 200 pictures today and somehow I've gotten into most of them. And if I'm correct, you're still in awe you dressed me right, twice."

"I...might be," she admitted. "God, I feel like you can see through my brain," she said, nearly going back to the tone she loved to use with snotty teachers. "I'm trying not to be distracted but, you're beautiful today and I keep thinking I should've let you wear your crappy clothes so I wouldn't be."

"I think that wouldn't have stopped any of our moods," Lorelai responded. "Admit it, Par. You're very wanting of me."

"What kind of wanting?" Paris asked back.

"Any kind." She brought Paris's attention to the mirror in front of her. "Man, look at the two of us in here."

"I don't know--"

"Shhhh..." She moved her hand down to rest at the small of the shorter girl's back. "Remember that first day? When I was quaking in fear of spending all that time with you and all you wanted was the day to end and the figures to come out right?"

"And I was mad about having to skip my classes and took it out on you. Yeah." She took a glance in the looking glass, surprised to find that the seven inches of height Lorelai had above her was really nothing. They seemed to fit together perfectly. "Frustrations with Jamie."

"Frustrations with dating in general. Our safety blankets gone, you with Chilton, the Independence for me. Both of us...just plain lost. And then in that classroom, no filters, nobody in our way, no rules..."

"And no mind to the mores we've had to hold with society." Paris looked up at the woman. "Before I met you, I thought I was alone. Unusual. For even considering the idea of you in a more than friendly way, it just, in normal terms, didn't feel right. Like there was more."

"Par?" A smile, and a glance down. "What exactly prompted you to consider you to ask for the unbuttoning of my top? Besides the teenage boy lure. There had to be more than that behind it." Both looking in the mirror, it was a way to lay everything out there for both women to open up. "I mean, it threw me off, but it was a very...Paris thing for you to say."

"A Paris thing?" A snort. "What exactly is 'a Paris thing', by definition?"

"Throwing me off completely, something I know only you would say, or ask. Or consider."

Paris considered holding back, afraid to voice it herself, but knew openness was the best thing for their relationship. "Truthfully?" Her pitch went up slightly. "It was the teenage boy thing for sure. But there was three more hours with you at that table, the two more in the classroom counting. To be honest..."

She brought her glance up at the brunette, wondering if everything would fall apart. "I really did not want you assigned for the Grad Night tickets, and when Rory told me you had been put forward by the parents to do so, it struck a nerve with me. I've spent all that time in your house the last couple years. I wore your clothes for the date with Tristan and felt a boost of self-confidence I couldn't have with anything I ever purchased myself. You have this life you built up all by yourself, without much help, and even if you don't admit it, you can be at times this selfish bitch out for her own interests." Expecting a retort, she was surprised to see Lorelai's features hardly register a cringe at the b-word. "But I love that about you. You're out for yourself. Nobody else but you and your daughter. Everyone else cares more for how they look to everyone else. But you...forgive me for saying this, but..." _I really hope I don't stir up any ghosts for saying this here_ , she thought before saying her piece.

"You're hot shit. You are determined to be this strong woman, fuck anything in your way. And that energy is what I want in my life. You charge in. You laugh. You cry. You will take down anybody who stands in your way. Somehow, you're a feminine feminist who knows what she wants, and will use every portion of her gender to get it. In one day you can flirt the living daylights out of some guy and get him to do what you want, but hours later, just take the wind out of the Headmaster for being such a chauvinist pig. And I suppose...that's what I wanted. Have the soft you selling tickets, and then to get to the goal, have a little bit of that sexy side of you come out to play. And I guess in that way, that's what attracted me to you...how you'll get down and compete with the boys, but you'll also stomp their hearts if they get in your way."

One more pause. "What attracted me to you that day was how even though I thought I was in this crap thing with Jamie...you made me see the light. That I did not need Jamie. That I didn't have to settle. And when you gave me that 'snap outta it' imploration, I don't know exactly why I went with kissing you rather just thanking you. But it just worked out the way it did, you found me sexual, and...here we are."

Lorelai took in all of Paris's rant and sucked in a breath. _I love it when she gets all analytical, it's so hot_ , she thought. Finding that her question was well answered, she decided to answer with a smile.

"I guess you are right then. It does make sense that I took charge and you found that an endearing trait. Although I'd probably not call myself hot you-know-what. Feels a little cocky."

"Please. You do a victory dance when you score the last Danish at Luke's. Cocky is your middle name."

"It's more of a victory boogie, thank you very much!" She looked at the both of them, looking like the odd couple that they were. "Hey, we should get a picture on your camera of us in here."

Paris was surprised. "I thought you said no pictures of us."

"Yeah, but one picture wouldn't hurt. We need to know we were in Paris together with some kind of evidence besides your gaudy credit card statement."

The reminder of all the fun of expensing she would have to do when she got home made Paris wince. "AMEX must think I have the most bizarre charging history. 'Oh, she bought an expensive bed? Then travel in the West? Now all this in Paris?'"

Lorelai shook her head, taking Paris's camera from her and asking the wife among the Kansas couple to help them with the picture taking. After assuring the blonde that the 75 year-old retiree wouldn't be fleeing with it like one of the area's infamous pickpockets, Paris got into position on Lorelai's left side with her right hand resting just above the taller woman's rear.

"Aw come on ladies! You're together, get a little closer!" the woman implored, much to the chagrin of both women, who directed odd stares at her wondering how she knew. "Hey, Garden City isn't the middle of Russia. We know women love women out there too, and you don't look like mother or daughter. Or just friends."

"We're that obvious, huh?" Paris said, with the woman nodding. "Fine, a little closer." After a little more direction from the woman, they had found the perfect position, with Paris perching herself on her tiptoes to have the small bit of height she could muster further.

"Count of three, smile. One...two...three." Both women stood in front of the grand mirrors as somehow one picture ended up becoming two, then three, and then one more as the basic profile picture turned out to be not enough for the Kansas woman. She also wanted a shot of them looking into each other's eyes, holding hands and then to top it off, resting their noses against one another. Both Lorelai and Paris were game, and with one final shot, definitely had the shot that they would both be saving for sure.

For Paris, it was a final clincher of how much Lorelai loved her. She had always been self-conscious of how the tip of her nose indented in, and her mother underwent a rhinoplasty to correct her own nose divot. She expected Lorelai to put her nose in front of the photographic frame so the divot would be hidden.

Instead, she touched tip-to-tip, and the picture was perfectly taken as the nuzzle of Lorelai's nose seemed to line up perfectly with the channel of her's. She blushed deeply as the photo was taken and Lorelai held the pose a little longer than expected, lingering in close against the blonde as their strong gazes met, blue on brown.

Lorelai felt the temptation to sweep Paris into a commanding kiss, whimpering at how the intense blonde had proven herself such a deep romantic over the last day. Slowly she let Paris go, taking the camera softly from the woman and handing it back to Paris as the blonde brushed back a loose tendril of hair behind her ear.

"Thank you. Again," she whispered. "This...it's beyond words. I'm still overwhelmed by everything and all of this...just, thank you."

Paris smiled, realizing that by taking a tour of Versailles, she had performed a task deemed Herculean by anyone who knew the innkeeper. "So I guess it's no longer a theory. You can be rendered speechless. Usually you're at 250 wpm by now, way above me."

"Oh trust me, Par, my head is at that. I just can't express out loud how much all of this means to me." She smiled down towards the blonde, slowly drawing away as they toured the room until they were guided by Martine for the remainder of the tour to the royal apartments and back gardens before the fountain show towards the end of the tour.

Many more pictures were taken between both women, along with many glances. By the time 6:20 had come around and they were in the gift shop gathering the things they wanted to pick up as souvenirs, Paris couldn't help but wonder where the rest of the evening would lead them. She bit her lip, in awe that her lover had finessed the art of wearing heels and long walks so well that about five miles around Versailles was nothing. She knew the woman would pay for it later, but in the moment she kept her amazement to herself.

"This looks good, right?" Lorelai picked up a collector plate with an image of the Palace, shaped in a rectangular pattern with gold edging. "Not too fancy?"

"Not at all," Paris responded. "Just the perfect amount of kitsch. I love the snowglobe you picked up too."

"And you're sure I can go nuts and you'll get this back to Hartford for me? I can just--"

"Lorelai, I insist. Pick out what you want. You can't carry all this back in your luggage. I have miles with extended baggage privileges; I'll just pick up a couple of _Le Monde_ s and wrap the breakables in between my clothing or get it shipped in via FedEx."

"Then..." Lorelai looked over the shelf and found a woven wall hanging that caught her eye. "I want to put that in my sewing room." She pointed at the tapestry with the image of the palace gardens on it. Paris picked it up and found it beautiful, then made her way to the pricetag.

"You could buy a sewing machine for the price of this thing!" Slightly exaggerating the €100 price tag, the blonde nonetheless gathered it into her basket. "But I'm not turning it down."

"I owe you so much already. I--"

"It's yours." With a wave of her finger Paris indulged her lover as the final purchase of a souvenir was made. As the women went to the checkstand, Paris began to think of the proposition she would make later on, wondering if it was indeed too much.

As Lorelai cheerfully talked to the cashier in French, Paris knew the next couple hours would make or break their relationship. _This has to go perfectly. No exceptions_ , she told herself, glad to have given Lorelai such a wonderful memory of the City of Lights and its immediate suburb, but hoping that what she would ask would leave more of a mark in the innkeeper's future.

She knew already she had to do it in a way where Lorelai was relaxed.

_Don't screw this up, Par_ , she scolded herself. _You already had Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore ruined forever by Jamie. Don't do the same thing with this town_. As her and Lorelai left and the bright woman rambled on and on about the beautiful sights, she knew she was ready to go on with her proposition.  


* * *

 The sun was an hour from setting on another beautiful evening in the French capital. The evening before, Lorelai and Paris had dined at one of the finest restaurants in the world, and in the morning had a brunch Marie Antoinette would cut off her own head to eat.

A long day had instead found the two women conversing in a restaurant, the world rushing about them outside and along the Rue de la Paroisse, the both of them having a nice and quiet meal and talking as the enjoyed the finest in French...

...fast food.

Despite their cultured reputations and palates, the American couple had decided to forgo anything fancy and with Lorelai missing the taste of Luke's but unable to find it unless it was named McDonalds, a word which may have well been 'Satan' to her internally, both had decided to head a mile into central Versailles, where the simple sign of Quick had beckoned them forward with friendly pricing and quick service. Two Giant burgers, orders of fries, sodas, churros and a split order of fried cheese curds were exactly what both of them needed to have a reminder of home served French style, and as they sat out looking at the Versailles market square a few blocks away, both of them were content in their unexpected choice of a second night meal.

"Mmm, thanks for suggesting this!" Lorelai bit into her burger, impressed. "I was truly scared to ask what you were going to think if I asked for fast food!"

"If there's anything my father knows, its international quick service chains, and he swears by Quick. I've never had it, but I would again." Popping a fry into her mouth she loved that she was able to decide how much salt she wanted, rather than the amount foisted on her by the American chains. "I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be eating junk food in France, and my mother is nowhere around to force some foie gras on me instead."

"Or Emily, or my grandmother." Lorelai blushed. "Oh, if Trix were here right now, and she better not be, she'd be scarlet at the thought of me with a younger woman."

"Then you should get that thought out of your mind and concentrate on how great a day we had." Paris hummed in contentment at having her rare non-kosher meal, sipping her Diet Coke after a nice bite into her cheeseburger. "I could have never believed I could have so much fun in a place I consider stuffy."

"You did?" With a scoff, Lorelai rolled her eyes. "My mother managed to suck so much fun out of Paris over the years she made it seem like a trip to suburban Montreal more than the French capital. Three words; guided Louvre tour. Two more words; three times."

"The same tour?!"

"I could repeat the spiels and 'ad libs' by heart by the time I was fifteen. Two more months and I would have seen my old friend Ludivine giving the same tour once again, but you know...the 'thing' with the 'weight gain'."

"Yes...the 'weight gain'." Paris shook her head, but kept the discretion up. "I had all the tours myself. I had to do it at the parks because otherwise I'd be lost. But if it's a museum or other attraction I have to have some leeway. Thankfully I hear with iPods coming in some museums might allow more of these roaming tours without having to stick with the guides and docents. Saves me from having to hear the same dumb questions from the same people from Muskogee."

Lorelai demurely sipped from her cup, the humidity of the day somehow making Paris look more beautiful. Her eyes couldn't stop landing on the young woman's neck, and although the mole on the side of her neck was just about the biggest erotic focal point she had, she was also getting used to the small little marks along the back of Paris's neck and how the loosely dressed form she had in the Chilton uniform betrayed how snug and near-normal she looked right now, indulging in plenty of cheesy items. She was wound up, tight like a wire, yet she was having so much fun free from the usual demands of being a backpacking tourist.

Wrinkling her nose, Lorelai slid her hand across the table and grabbed a french fry from Paris's container, still a bit hungry after finishing hers. Paris gave a slight eye narrow but then let it go.

"Like I've said before, your stomach is a volcano." With a little shake of the head she watched Lorelai slide the fry into her mouth, shuddering as somehow the woman could make eating erotic at the level of Nigella Lawson with a deadly smirk that suggested she was enjoying every moment of the fast food meal. "How does Luke keep up your appetite again? And Sookie with your coffee addiction?"

"I think they gave up years ago. This is me, how I am, and I have the perfect metabolism somehow. I'm certainly not going to complain, but if I do gain a few pounds..." A shrug. "As long as I fit my jeans I'll be fine."

"Lor?" A smile as Paris took in the woman being happy. "I'm glad I could make you smile again. Even if just for tonig--"

In response, Lorelai held up her hand. "No, no, we're not going to pine before we have to leave each other. I'm taking this night as just us, together, remembering that we've had our run of the town this afternoon." Her lips curled deviously. "And I suspect that there will be more than smiling done this evening. I really want to give the whirlpool tub a go. Even with these clean clothes the heat of Paris is getting to me, and you too, I can tell." She looked down at Paris's underarms, where slight perspiration darkened the fabric of her shirt slightly despite her prescription anti-perspirant. The blonde shook her head, but in normal circumstances she would feel mortified, instead she felt heated.

"If you'd stop looking at me like you did all day maybe I could stop the sweating. Call it my body's misguided defensive mechanism." She bent over slightly, feeling provocative and bold as she knew at a certain angle her lover would receive an eyeful of her unexpectedly deep cleavage. "So much for our little outing today cooling our moods down a little." She licked her lips, allegedly to rid herself of a salt crystal in the corner of her lip, only to slide her foot out of her shoe and slide in beneath the cuff of Lorelai's jean leg, bringing the brunette into a cold shudder. "You know what's coming out of today, right?" She slowly drew the words from her throat, both women finding themselves despite the quick service atmosphere extremely turned on.

"A...report on the Armistice?" Lorelai said, her spare high school history remembrance at least able to recall that event.

"Of course, I've seen the place, now I'll ace a report if that's ever given out for sure. No." Paris shook her head. "Now I know we make a lovely couple. I've seen it for myself. And...I have permanent photographic proof of us together. Except, I think I found a new kink also." Her toe took down Lorelai's sock to expose the anklet anew. "I'm getting really used to you wrapping around me, just a movement of your hand and you can either manipulate my breasts, or slide your fingers in and do your worst."

"Is that what you got out of that? Besides my love of the building and the history behind it?"

"Along with your need to hold my hand, to look at me often, remind yourself that this is real. And we're here, eating dinner after a beautiful day at the Palace, which was on your dream list of destinations, but was ignored by both your mother and daughter. Your love of architecture, of history, of romance and royalty." She brushed her fingers softly against Lorelai's open hand. "I cannot forget your awe today, Lorelai Gilmore."

The woman's lip trembled and she felt like crying, but held back, knowing a scene that would be beautiful in a café would be a little odd in front of a fast food restaurant. "I...I don't know how you pull off this stuff. If you're actually a member of the Mob or anything."

"Just a regular member of society here," she said confidently. "Though with access to the better tour plans not offered on the website."

"Or the better transportation and company." Lorelai sighed happily, Paris's foot still brushing at her ankle. "You know, if you keep doing that, I'm going to be very distracted."

"You are?" Paris said in a whispered tone that suggested deep flirting, her nose wrinkling slightly. "I thought you already were distracted. By my breasts."

"It's not that. Oh lord, it isn't, honest--"

"I know you've been looking and a bit annoyed all day at a couple guys outside the Palace who stared. At least for both of us it has proved we are lusted after and sexual beings. Especially losing the noose that is the Chilton uniform--"

"I don't think it was a noose," Lorelai argued, disagreeing vehemently. "Maybe...you just weren't really ready with anyone else but me to put yourself out there all the way. That you feel safe and comforted when it comes to the both of us?"

"Maybe." Finishing her serving of food, Paris pushed away the tray to focus fully on the older woman. "Of course the aftermath of the garden."

"The shower afterwards where we barely could keep our hands off each other," Lorelai recalled, sighing at the contact of the woman's toes against her ankle. "Man, for everyone else it's either my neck or my side, beneath my underarm. For you, right along that ankle."

"It is an erotic zone, truthfully, but more for me it's where we first came together, massaging away that sprain. That's what keeps drawing me to it, I guess."

"Not a bad thing at all, then. I'll take it...for sure. Better than being remembered for losing a swimsuit in the lake." Lorelai sighed as she looked over Paris, who despite being tired was ready for the rest of the night with her. With the daylight fading in the west, both women had that feeling of wanting to make the most of the rest of the evening. "Par?"

"Hmm?"

"You look like you're lost in thought about something." She saw the blonde suddenly feel a little unsure about something. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing wrong." She touched the bridge of her nose, knowing this was probably as good an opportunity as any. "I'm just..." she looked up. "I'm a little nervous."

"Nervous? After a full day with me? I think the nervous train left the station the moment you caught your shuttle to IT in Chicago."

"No, not about that." _Get your nerve, Gellar._ She opened up her hands. "Lorelai?"

The tone of voice Paris used worried the brunette. "Hey, you OK?"

"I am. I've had a great day. But I still have something on my mind."

"What is it?" She was now scared of what the student was about to tell her. "Did...did you say something to someone?"

"Not that." With a deep sigh, Paris went into her topic, a conversation that replayed in her mind all summer. "The Inn. How are things with it?"

"Umm, in a holding pattern. I have an architect creating the plan right now, and we'll get down to brass tacks in carrying it out by the end of August. Sookie is planning her menu and then there's the permit stuff. I have her working on that in my absence."

"Making sure the building isn't ready to collapse?"

"That was all worked out before the building was even put up to auction," Lorelai shared. "Some of the usual foundation work, along with the roof. But the structure of the building's sound. Outside of what we have to keep for preservation, I will have an open slate to work with."

"Hey..." She took Paris's had. "What's with the sudden need to know the haps on the Dragonfly?"

A small smile. "Well..."

Steadying herself, Paris knew she was ready to go forward. "I'm just curious. Do you have estimates on how much the work on renovation will be?"

Lorelai was thrown by the line of questioning, but decided to answer to soothe Paris's interest. "Well, as far as I've known from estimates, land and building value, average labor costs I've had at the Independence. It varies somewhat because of the differences in the buildings, but after what I paid...I say I still have to put in at least $150,000 on the low end, $225,000 tops."

"OK." _Just about what I thought_ , Paris thought. "I've had some time to think this summer. A lot of time. And some of those thoughts have wandered towards the Dragonfly and the construction of it." Lorelai nodded, following the line of questioning. "For going into an old building with needed work, that price isn't bad. You do think that range will end up being your budget."

"Pretty much. You account for supplies, fixtures, labor and other things. We have to start out new pretty much."

"Uh-huh." _God, don't fail me now._ She bit her tongue as she prepared for tension. "Again, thinking over the summer. I feel like after my encouragement in the bidding and being with you, that I now have a rooting interest. That includes your business. Now I know you. We've shared things usually not breached between many people. But there's something I want to do."

"So...I guess I can say that this trip, and the excuse of getting you here under the cover of a business deal to take an interest in you? It may not be a lie after all."

Noticing the tension building up, Paris decided to lay it out honestly. "The lawyer who has handled by business affairs since I was a child is one of the smartest in the business, along with my financial and trust advisors. Great people; they would commit seppuku before being tempted to touch my finances. When I turned eighteen, some of the money from the trust I can't get to until I'm 25 was funneled out of it, per the terms of my grandfather's will making me heiress to the Gellar wealth eventually. This money is vested within my business lawyer, who has set up a limited liability corporation which on all outside purposes is under her control. However, I am actually the one who authorizes what can be done with LLC as a silent partner."

Lorelai remained quiet as Paris went on. "This allows me to pursue business opportunities restricted by my trust. I don't intend to dip into it in any way, as the funds from the LLC are used to invest in a mix of blue chips, bonds and other interest-bearing opportunities. The LLC was set up at my birth holding $50,000 with a portfolio mainly consisting of purchases of old-line stocks, tech companies and municipal and treasury investments. My financial manager has avoided so much over the years and kept my portfolio strong."

Nodding, Lorelai went along with it, although to her, Paris was currently speaking another language. "By specification in the will I have no knowledge of what amount my trust currently holds. I know it's a lot, but for now, I am not concerned with it." Taking a napkin from the middle of the table, she also removed a pen from her purse. "However, I do know day-to-day what funds are within my personal LLC." She wrote out numbers in her lengthy and tall script. "As of my last check about five days ago, this is the figure within it. I can do whatever I want with the money in this account." Crossing the dollar sign, she then pushed the napkin towards Lorelai, who then read the figure to herself.

The reaction to the number listed made Lorelai's eyes nearly pop out.

"Holy fuck," she whispered. "The hell? This...this is like Tom Brady money."

"It is. As I've noted in the past, the Gellar financial affairs are the most respected and revered in all of Connecticut. I certainly have no intent to lay off that financial legacy in any way. When I die, hopefully a long time from now, I hope that I pass down a comfy nest egg. However...that is not the business we are dealing with today."

Pursing her lips, she made her offer, her voice familiar and soft and soothing, yet stirring Lorelai from the inside out.

"My proposal, after consideration, and talking to my lawyer and financial manager over the summer..." She moved closer, stretching herself out. "I propose helping to have you and Sookie form a Delaware corporation to sort your financials out so everything is sorted just as well as most businesses. For that, blindly, my LLC would take a ten percent interest in the company. In turn, with the backing of my LLC, I will assist you with my money, unknown to anyone else, to pay for all renovation costs associated with the Dragonfly, to be either paid off, or not, at your convenience. You will receive all the help that you will need to open the business. I would not interfere, and you and Sookie would have all operational control over the matters of the Dragonfly. However, as it would be in my best interest to have a successful business, if you would run into trouble, there would be help. I would not let you fail."

Lorelai's face turned white as the offer was made. "Let me note that I have been considering this well before we sold the tickets. I'm looking for a 'sure bet' project to put my money in, to have a rooting interest in. You've been successful. You have a business degree, and you've never fucked up in the business, Lor. Your chef is regularly in Beard contention and I expect her to win someday. The risk I see in the Dragonfly failing is very low and what I'm proposing is certainly not charity. It is a safety net to experiment all you want with getting this thing off the ground. In fact, I had been watching the sale with great interest, as I planned to send you a notice of consideration for the proposal I'm making to you.

"I know you're a proud woman, Lorelai. If you do not take this deal, I will not be disappointed. But I will promise you this; no matter how we end up romantically, there will be no interference from me whatsoever in the day-to-day operations of your business. It is in the contract that is written up, awaiting your signature. All I am doing is assuring your financial success, while giving me a sense of accomplishment. All revenue remains with the Dragonfly. I will pay the administrative costs of the DC. The agreement, if we do come to it, is for full autonomy with the assurance the only mode of failure is via natural disaster or act of God."

Lorelai gulped, going over everything. "I know about the Durham Group and companies of their ilk, which offer help and such with management. That's all well and good...but you're still under their control. With what I'm proposing, there will be only accounting to yourself and Sookie. That is all. I promise you, this is a good thing."

"You may think on it then," Paris said, finishing the speech she had in her mind for weeks. "If the answer is no...I can take it. I won't be pleased, but I understand." Closing her mouth, Paris nodded, and the table went silent as Lorelai heard everything echo in her mind.

_Help. LLC. All costs paid. No interference. All that money._

__Lorelai's mind spun as the actual business opportunity was offered to her. She had not expected it, nor had any clues of Paris offering it to her actually dawned on her.

The night before, she would have been prepared. She would have known that she would have refused if it was offered by a random stranger plying her with booze.

_But this is different. This is Paris. Beautiful, fiery, determined and capable...it's Paris. Who has suddenly burrowed into my heart in a way no man could, and actually listened to my business planning._ She looked at the blonde in front of her, wondering how such a small woman could hold so much power over her.

_She stated it matter-of-fact. Knows about my pride. That I would want to pay it back eventually. But...she sees me as a sure bet. How can she be sure?_

__Her rational side argued against it. _And if she falls in love with someone else, how are you gonna deal with that? This time, you're Jamie and you're making her cry. And Sookie...she's wanted the inn too. What will she say? And even if she says nothing will be interfered with, what's to say this lawyer won't pull funny business?_

__Lorelai raised her hand up, to ask that question. "And these people...if they do interfere, what happens?"

"What happens is they'll be blacklisted for fucking up my business. This money is for my use only. It is my personal responsibility. The only thing my lawyer can do is make sure it's being used legally, while my financial advisor can only work out the books with my CPA. You have my absolute word that this investment will be treated in the same way as my education; only the best."

"And if I want to dissolve it or sell?"

"We work with it. However this package I have worked on is also drawn up to provide financial security to Sookie and Jackson's children. This will be a very secure investment. If I do lose money, I'm fine. But I will know what to do for the inevitability of opening up the practice I would like after post-grad, be it law or medical. However, the one big restriction is...no selling to big business, or someone like the Durham Group. My LLC reserves the right of first refusal as far as a buyer and will act in your interests rather than those of what other might offer."

"OK..." A grimace. "If somehow this trust is mangled up and you have to file some kind of bankruptcy, what is my responsibility?"

"None. If my financials get below a certain level, the 10% interest immediately goes back to you both with no liability, financial or otherwise." The confidence in Paris's voice stirred the innkeeper's interest deeply. "There will be no interference by me or my people, in any way. My parents have no knowledge of this because the money is blind to them. Everything I'm doing here, is on my own volition. My own spending, and--"

"I...I just don't know." Her voice soft, Lorelai looked down at the empty wrappers and tray in front of her. "Paris, I would be...well, words can't describe how much I would be thankful to have someone in my corner, someone who I know wouldn't make me feel indebted to them, or make them go to weekly dinners." She side-eyed Paris. "No...dinners are involved, are they?"

"No dinners, no way. You have enough fun with Emily every Friday."

"Just, wanted to make sure." Lorelai's words were measured, and she was careful not to hit a sour note. "But I don't want to feel like a burden, or be under pressure from you to do well. That's why it took me gathering all my nerves to even go to my parents for Chilton in the first place, or the termite thing with my house. I hate debt. I don't want to be in debt, or beholden to you in this way. If I lose money, I want it to be on my own. Not a handout."

"This isn't a handout," she argued. "Kill that line of phrasing right now. This is me, believing in you, putting in seed money so we can both show we can be successful in life. And the security of incorporation, you need that."

"I know I do. The hotel business is brutal. When 9/11 happened, nobody wanted to travel, and it hurt us. It hurt me. The termites seemed to know that and came just in time when I was in a deep cash ebb." She raised her hands. "Paris, this isn't the most secure of businesses, at all. You just need to go down the 5 or 95 to see all the shuttered hotels along them, or into towns in foliage county to see people could give a shit about the entire 'New England experience' and throw down their cash in a Residence Inn. I am taking a **major** risk here. I could only be open two months if I don't have this perfect, and if I lose your money, you're going to be pissed. And I wouldn't blame you."

"It's money, I have more," she stated. "And I know what business I'm going to, because when I was younger that's how I lived. In hotels. Some of them the finest establishments, but a few times I would've rather had accommodations in the looney bin. I know what I'm getting into, that the smaller inn is more challenged than a chain hotel right on the highway. But I have a confidence and a sense in you. You're more positive about being in the game than anyone else I've seen chomping at the bit to get their own business. Others in our little circle are happy to get into cute kitten heels, or silk pocket squares, or a boutique soap-making operation. All fads. All bound to Enron. You're going into this business armed with a maid-to-manager story that would make for a killer resume. This is your life. I want to set you up to succeed, not fail."

"I know." Lorelai shook her head. "i...I just don't know though. You really believe in this. I just don't want you to feel committed to something just because we have something going on, and then--"

"Again, this was all in my mind well before we even made eye contact selling those tickets. And I'm committed because I feel you're good. That's all."

_But what if I'm not? What if I fail? And if I take money from you and someone finds out, I'm proving my parents right._ Lorelai began to consider everything about her pride and need for a successful business as she went over everything in her mind. She looked at Paris, expecting to find doubt and maybe a known smidge of disappointment, but was unable to find much of anything but a promise to help her all the way.

She knew the amount Paris had presented her from her investment fund was a good amount of money. That the renovation would guarantee great materials and great shots at items from the building salvagers to help meet Taylor's codes. It would definitely work.

_Lor, you cannot turn this down,_ her conscience told her. _You have a woman crazy about you offering to help with your dream. A great woman who has gone leaps and bounds to capture your heart. It only seems like a short time that she did._

__The brunette did not doubt Paris's sincerity, but her doubts still had her on edge.

"You know that I will try to pay every single penny of this grant off, right?" Paris nodded. "No matter how much I do make in the first few years of operation, my priority is to be debt free by my 45th birthday."

"Of course. Whether you pay it is of no concern to me, but I will accept whichever terms that you give me."

"The other thing is, I will need to talk to Sookie about this before I proceed any further. I could answer now, but she is my equal partner. You do have your voice change box, do you?"

"Now? Do I have it?" Paris nodded. "Of course. Lorelai, I'm not saying you should accept now--"

"Have the car brought; I'm going to talk to her on the way back," Lorelai said with a kind formality. "Strike while the iron's hot, I say. I think that I want this, but it's Sookie's dream too, hon. I can't just go behind her back."

"Of course not, that's why I made up the fib about her calling you first to get you out of the hostel." Resigned to her fate being decided by a phone call, Paris was scared that the chef would somehow talk her away from the plans. "Did I throw this on you on a bad time? Because--"

"Actually, just about when we're getting our material costs figured out as far as raw materials, figuring out whether to go with a local lumber supplier or 84. It actually works out great; you can have me sign a faxed contract down the line and by the time I get in, Tom and everyone else has an early start rather than waiting for me."

The student nodded, feeling shaky as she felt like she threw Lorelai off with her request using too much business-speak. "I didn't mean to throw it all on you. I guess I wanted to get it out there."

"I'm actually glad you did." Being honest, Lorelai took Paris's hand. "We both need to be open and know where we stand, where we feel. Otherwise this won't work, and actually giving you a bit of the business would be hell."

"I don't want it to be. I just want to see you happy, not as a distant Scrooge figure."

"Oh, you're not Scrooge. Not at all. I...I just want to make sure this is right with Sookie. My best friends needs to know."

"She will. Fingers crossed." Paris pulled out her cell phone while Lorelai contemplated how to bring up a new business opportunity to her best friend while people-watching as the day faded in Versailles, filled with so many memories that she wasn't sure she could keep them all in her mind.  


* * *

"No, I do not kid, Mrs. St James. This is exactly how I described it, and I assure you this will be what you need to have what you need to succeed. No, we would not do that, I assure you. You and Ms. Gilmore are the owners of the business, not us."

Halfway back to Paris, Lorelai sat in the back of the towncar, amused as Paris had to use her voice changer to try to make Sookie understand the investment was a good thing. She had spent ten minutes herself on the phone explaining the specifics, which the chef was leery of. Thus it was up to Paris in disguise to try to convince her that there was no ill will to it all.

Another ten minutes was spent on the phone with the woman, the two arguing back and forth about terms of the deal, which Lorelai knew was bound to happen. She could sense Paris's frustration, but knew she couldn't interrupt at all due to the voice changer and that when Paris negotiated, she was in the zone and bound to get the deal done. With the turn on the expressway towards the center of Paris about to come up, the girl finally knew she would have to yield something to Sookie in order to gain her approval.

"Fine," she said in exasperation. "I would rather do it this way, but I guess I can understand where you're coming from. 10% interest in the inn corporation, but if the bookings for the dining side of the business exceed $400,000 per year, you receive a 15% bonus for every dollar above that figure, along with your own advisor alongside those that manage the money coming in for the lodging side. And if you do take a Beard or any other nationally recognized chef's award, you will receive a $30,000 award bonus per award." A pause. "And yes, in the renovation, no corners cut. High-quality appliances and kitchenware will be provided, and you receive the right to refuse lesser items."

She pulled away from the microphone for a moment. "She's playing hardball." Lorelai nodded, knowing getting Sookie's interest in the Dragonfly in the first place took forever. "Yes, I can agree to that. No interference in kitchen design or hiring. This is investing, not dictating. Uh-huh...uh-huh." One more pause. "Of course you can look over the entire agreement. It will be emailed to you in the morning. Look it over, go over what you agree to, talk to the lawyers. Sign and send by certified mail. If you're sure..." Paris took a calming breath as she lifted the phone from her ear. "She wants to talk to you." Lorelai took the phone thankfully as Paris was finally able to take her mouth away from the voice changer, the male sound of her voice beginning to sound very harsh and unsettling after awhile.

A few more minutes were spent as Lorelai and Sookie gushed about the details of the deal, and how the 'businessman' spoiled her, including the trip to Versailles. Paris kicked back and looked out the window, feeling the tension for bringing up everything in the first place still there, but beginning to calm down. She was afraid that the tenor of the night would be ruined further, and as she slid her personal assistant out to get out an email to her lawyer to be synced to her Mac later tapping out the details in the contract to be tweaked. She was glad for the privacy of being able to make the deal without needing the parental approval that would have been required in the past. Her thumbs ran along the device at a fast clip before Lorelai ended the call with Sookie, and after four minutes had passed by, she had finished the message, ready to be sent on the next sync as Lorelai hung up with Sookie after saying goodbye.

"And...done." She took a calming breath before looking at the text messages coming in, a couple from Rory which seemed to ramble about Jess, and one from Emily she had no plans to respond to asking her why she hadn't called in a couple days. Knowing Rory was taken care of, she turned off the phone for the night and scooted over to Paris, slipping her device back into her purse. "Now that's all done."

"So, we look at the contract, and we're pretty much in business with you." Lorelai still wondered how this was eventually going to all work out. "We have the terms we like, you have your terms. You think this can work?"

Paris nodded, though still unsure herself about a few things. "It's still a better position than having to work through one of the megabanks. I swear when the bank my family used for a long time was swallowed up by Bank of America they couldn't give a shit about us anymore. My money is actually mainly in a couple smaller banks, with some sheltered in Scotiabank up in Canada as a hedge."

"I...I just don't want to disappoint. We've built up this relationship of trust, and now we're making it much more than that. You're my business partner, no matter how hands off you are."

Gliding her fingers along the curve of a bottle of Ty Nant, Paris licked her lips to wetten them before taking a sip from the water to clear her parched throat. She set the bottle back down on the console and slid the cool hand into Lorelai's. "I'll feel the disappointment if there's any problem on my own end. Because I have full confidence in your running the business. Let me say this again; you're not working for me. My money is just in the business trying to grow. The most I'll probably stress out about my money is when I get my quarterly statements and end of year tax forms. Otherwise..."

She inched closer to the brunette, and then with a sudden move, took one of Lorelai's legs, looking the jeaned limb up and down and rubbed along her upper thigh.

"The only reason I do want think about you, is in how much my knees go weak at the sight of you." Lorelai sucked in her breath as she felt individual fingers snake along her leg. "And for the rest of the trip, as of now, we don't talk about the deal. It'll be waiting for your signature when you get back to the Hollow."

Lorelai's eyes slitted at the assumption. "No more surprises? You're not going to want me to file an IPO? You have nothing else you're hiding?"

"Nothing else. No other secrets on this trip to be found." A smile. "From this point forward, the only activity we should consider is bedroom activity."

A knowing grin. "We aren't in the bedroom yet," Lorelai purred as her right hand slid up Paris's arm to ire the goosebumps, earning a groan from the younger student. "Also, that's the activity you're considering with me? What if I wanted to go grocery shopping? Or watch monster movies?"

The blonde shook her head. "it's not the only thing on my mind, I meant--"

"You're thinking of me naked right now, aren't you?" Lorelai teased, moving closer to Paris. "I've been sweating all day and your mind just wants me undressed and on the bed as you hover over me on all fours." Paris let out a heavy breath as the picture hit her mind, blood rushing towards her cheeks. "That, or your idea of sleeping involves overexertion."

Paris snorted slightly, nearly feeling like choking. "Even if I were thinking of you naked, I can't do much about it here, can I? Seatbelts kind of keep the sexual mood down a little."

Lorelai kept silent for a moment, recalling earlier. "You weren't exactly obeying the seatbelt laws earlier when we were on the way to Versailles."

"I wasn't but I was also still on a sexual high."

"So you're not high on love right now?"

"I'm not saying that. I...I..." Paris bit on her lip, knowing her point wasn't being made very well. "We've been out and about for over nine hours. My feet are hurting and this bra is biting my shoulders something awful," she admitted. "I've had these shoes all summer but I forgot I didn't wear them on my long hikes."

Lorelai cringed, knowing her own sores too well. "So it's more you're uncomfortable than anything else." Paris nodded, seeing Lorelai's deep concern register. "Prop your legs up here. Even if you have to unbuckle we can use the middle belt."

"But--"

"Do it, we'll be safe. I promise." As Paris could no longer argue the point, Lorelai pressed the call button. " _Puissions-nous prendre la route plus longue, chauffeur?_ " she asked kindly. After a few moments, the driver responded back as she began to unlace Paris's sneakers.

" _Je vais le faire, madame Gilmore._ " The driver began to redirect the car more to the south of the city to give the two women more time in the car and Lorelai intended to take advantage of the extra time. As Paris clasped the middle belt she could see concern color her lover's eyes as she rolled off her socks, revealing the cracked and calloused feet that had been the result of her strenuous senior year and vacation which left her without a moment off her feet.

"Oh my goodness. No wonder you're hurting. Some of this looks like it's because your toes can't stretch out," she observed, seeing each toe pushed in a little in an unnatural position. "Do you file?"

"Only when I get to the spa, and that was last in January I was able to get there," Paris admitted. "I tried it once alone and ended up bleeding when I was too rough with the file. And with my compressed schedule I wasn't able to ask Nanny to help me out." She felt a cool hand upon her right foot and winced. "Take it easy, please?"

"You're definitely in good hands," Lorelai declared. "I'll treat your feet like you have my own." She set aside the socks and took Paris's right foot, feeling the strong parallels between now and the massage after her minor injury. Paris grimaced as she felt each of her toes spread out after being compressed within her shoe for hours on end as Lorelai took a tissue from the console to remove the build-up between each toe. "Oh geeze, there's an actual little stone between one of them!" She pulled it out as Paris gasped.

"I was wondering why that felt so odd," Paris said truthfully. "I probably brought that all the way from Denver and never got it out." 

"You focus too much on the pain. You need to relax. Maybe go fully sockless for a few days when you get home?" Lorelai felt the rough texture of each heel and felt for the young woman. "Heck, spend a day or two naked to let your body heal up a little in the air." She felt the rough texture of the small foot and began to rub at each side in circles, then the bottom and the heel, which Paris could feel almost immediately as she let out a soft purr of enjoyment. "That does feel nice, doesn't it? Reciprocation is a beautiful thing."

Paris nodded, getting comfortable as extended her arm behind her to rest her head against the seat. "Just a little deeper?" she encouraged, her mind filling with erotic thoughts of the innkeeper as Lorelai kneaded her flesh in the manner she wanted.

She smiled at the woman, who returned one back as the hurried activity of the trip and the deal disappeared behind them. Lorelai looked Paris over, finding her calmer, although feeling curious about something.

"So...just making sure. Jamie hasn't called since the breakup?"

Thrown for a moment, Paris recovered her bearings and shook her head.

"I think he's well over me. As it should be, you're my complete focus now." She felt the massage begin to hit a trigger point and quietly pushed her legs together. "I didn't mean to make that sound flippant."

"Didn't hear you seem flippant," Lorelai observed. "It's the truth that you're done with him. You're very attractive, so hopefully getting over you will take a while." Lorelai pushed her fingers together near the middle arch of Paris's foot. "Did he ever do this?"

"God...no." Unnoticed to Lorelai, Paris closed her eyes, feeling overly sensitive. "You know what...I love about you?"

"Hmm?" A smile.

"You know just how to hit the right spot." She felt her midsection begin to pulsate with need. "Down to the heel, that's where it's really hurting."

"Heel, got it." Elegantly long fingers along the bottom of her foot, Paris knew it wouldn't be much longer. _What's going on? I get around Lor here and it's like my body craves release!_ The middle seam of her jeans lined up perfectly with her clitoris. Lorelai placed more pressure against the foot, feeling a tightness in the muscles within it.

"I should have used lotion for this," she said, not even looking down at Paris struggling to hold in her need. "You're really wound up here, Par."

"Yeah," she said, the confirmation sounding more like a gasp. "You're telling me." She felt short nails along above her inner sole and cringed, hoping that her reaction was hidden. She felt Lorelai's full hand encircling her foot, fingers and palm, with the other hand focusing on her toes. She felt herself shivering at the sensation of the massage being deeper than anything her nanny gave her. She looked into the older woman's eyes, finding the woman's gaze in full concentration of keeping her relaxed and calm.

Lorelai continued to circle her hand around the heel, and Paris let out a soft gasp, holding it between her throat and her lips. Paris shuddered as she felt the push moving closer and closer, wanting to hold back but knowing it wasn't going to be easy to do so. _I can't. Really, I can't. If I do..._

__The rubbing became even deeper as Lorelai began to feel the texture soften. She took in the arch of each foot, her own mind picturing each leg fully bared, then higher up. She wanted to get back to the hotel and ravish the blonde with thanks for the wonderful night and day they had spent together.

Paris cringed slightly, knowing she was beginning to edge off. She didn't want to drive herself to this point, but know it was inevitable. Her bra dug in further as a stray touch against her breast seemed to stir her nipple into action and engorge it with bloodflow, peeking through her shirt clearly. The other followed.

_Only a matter of time_ , she thought, her groin grinding involuntarily against the denim of her seam as she felt completely needy to come, wondering if Lorelai was noticing, though her eyes had not wavered yet.

Another minute, and she had moved on to the left foot. The rubbing was even deeper as she concentrated on the upper part as she noticed Paris's gait, the favoring of putting her messenger bag on her left shoulder meant that the left leg took much more weight than her right side. The student was shivering even more, her body prickling with goosebumps in anticipation as she felt her clitoris extend fully out. Her breaths became shorter, eyes glazing over and her focus began to shift fully to working through the release.

She wanted to hold back as Lorelai's hands trailed along the middle of her foot. But as she hit the most sensitive spot, she let out a moan.

Lorelai looked up from the noise, and found herself with a sight that caught her fancy.

_Oooh, nice. I knew my massage was good, but I didn't expect this!_ Smiling she increased the pressure, rolling her thumbs as Paris didn't notice Lorelai's attention shift. Her fingers along the arch, she knew the young woman's sensitivity was probably high.

"You know what we should do when we get back to the hotel?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"I think....we order a nice bottle of champagne, some ice cream with strawberries, and we enjoy the whirlpool tub, nice and hot."

Paris nodded, the woman's voice driving her closer. "Go...on."

"We spend plenty of time in there and eventually we make our way back to the bed, not even contemplating putting back on our clothes until I have to leave."

"Ohhh..." She felt the warmth pricking through.

"Maybe we get some room service too. We could have Dominique up there." A shock went through Paris's spine. "She could deliver us the food and we could have her stay behind." The seductive curl in Lorelai's voice was bringing her closer. "Would you love that?"

"I...I love how you both...are...together." Images of the hotel clerk with the innkeeper began to fill her mind, long fingers through the curls of the Frenchwoman. "And that she got to see you first."

"You know what I did when I showed off the dress?" Putting more pressure on Paris's heel, she knew what her voice was doing to her. "I hiked up the dress...showed her the whole package."

"You did...did you?" The blonde gave the older woman a glare. "I'm sure it was solely...in the interest of complimenting her choice in...undergarments."

"Of course, but I nearly ruined them just looking at her. But then I looked at you...felt you last night. I was ruined yet again."

"I love ruining you," Paris admitted, sweat building on her brow. "Ruin you forever."

"I want to undress you," Lorelai whispered to her. "Not like the greenhouse. Just slowly undress you. Slide off your shirt, work off your jeans. Then I'd use my mouth to suckle your clit through your underwear until it puffs up like your nipples are right now. Lick your mound so it's visible through the material."

"Lor..."

"Paris, if this has made me realize anything, it's how much more that I want you," she swore. "The way you look happy with me makes me feel special and revered, and everything you do for me is just so special. You didn't even love me that first year and knew about Versailles. And now you offer me this funding for the inn? Words cannot express how much I want to kneel at your feet and worship you."

"Ooooh..."

"I will make all of this worth your while, I guarantee it." She lifted up the young woman's right foot, baring the ankle, along with the blue-inked star. She looked at the student eye-to-eye, taking in the smooth and near-hairless consistency of the limb. "I don't care what any of the men in your life have ever said to you. Truly inside and out, you are a strong, caring and beautiful woman."

Paris's breaths became short stutters as she could see Lorelai lifting up her leg. Her eyes widened, knowing what she was about to do.

She felt Lorelai's breath on her foot. Then with an anticipatory tingle, she felt herself about to clench. She wanted to hold off until the hotel, but knew there was no way.

Blazing blue eyes glanced at her, the only point of attention.

"Spill over for me," Lorelai dared her, before applying the softest and most fluttery of kisses to the tattoo upon her ankle.

Immediately the tingle shot up her spine, and into the nerves residing between her legs. She bit down on her lip and then found Lorelai, even as she bathed her foot in kisses, stretching her right hand out and sliding it into her jeans to cup her sex. Two fingers immediately slid alongside her clit.

"That's beautiful," Lorelai observed. "Push yourself against them. Get off for me." The manual encouragement flipped a switch and Paris knew she wouldn't last much longer. She ground against the offered fingers as the other three teased at curls peeking out through the crotch of the underwear. Her kisses fluttered up to the middle of the younger woman's foot, before ending up at her toes.

Without a thought, she began to kiss the woman's big toe and then pushed a third finger against Paris's clit, rubbing softly, feeling it plump as she could feel the muscles clench. Paris closed her eyes shut.

"Yess...oh fuck..." She grasped at the armrest on the door of the car, while her other hand grasped the strap of the seatbelt. She pushed herself against the hand as the other finger joined to thrust against her. She clenched and as Lorelai continued to kiss at her toes, the floodgates opened.

With a little whinny, her pelvic muscles came together and she let out what seemed like a grunt combined with a whine, pushing against Lorelai's fingers as she released her leg to come down carelessly against her lap. She kept pushing against the fingers as Lorelai felt the surge of fluid coat her lover's panties in small spurts. Even if she couldn't hold the girl because of her position she knew Paris looked ravished and sexual to her.

With a few more pushes against the long hand, Paris finally slumped against the corner of the seat, completely spent as Lorelai withdrew her hand slowly, glistening with her arousal. Silence permeated the luxury car for what seemed limitless minutes while Paris regained her bearings, releasing tension in her seatbelt slightly as it seemed to dig into her abdomen from the odd positioning of the strap. Lorelai wiped her hand onto her jean leg, and both women were stunned silent.

Paris was the one who was able to speak. "So...yeah." She nodded, her brown eyes slightly closed. "You actually took advantage of my body's need for sudden orgasms."

Lorelai nodded, feeling shy. "I think I did." Her eyes were wide open. "I...I didn't mean--"

"To take me by surprise like that?" A weary smile. "This whole trip has been about surprises. Especially the kissing of my star."

"Well, you have so many kissable things, I can't help it." Lorelai let out a dorky laugh. "That is, to me. I'm sure not many have a 'that neck mole is hot' mindset going on."

"You wouldn't believe the ratio of people who could care less to others who want me to zap it. Including my mother, Jamie, Louise."

"Who wants you to keep it?"

"Pretty much you and Madeline. That's it. Rory even wanted me to zap it."

"Well if it helps? Please don't," Lorelai pleaded. "I don't want to see it gone." She gave the mark a glance. "It gives you character, a trait."

"Exactly what I think. If someone doesn't like it, who are they to judge unless they pay to get rid of it?" Paris wrapped her arms around her chest, blowing hair from in front her eyes. "Man, that took a lot out of me. And it's only about 8:30 yet."

Lorelai let out a long smile. "Still way too much time to fuck around, literally. My body is ready to get these clothes off."

"I'd love to get them off myself right now," Paris responded with a wag of her eyebrows. "Of course, I don't think the city's nudity laws would facilitate that until we got back into the hotel room."

"You can still undress me with your eyes," Lorelai encouraged. "Nothing illegal about that."

The blonde nodded with a smile. "I really am regretting inviting you to the restaurant last night. I should've just had you stay at the hotel for hours and hours of great sex."

"And who says we can't have that tonight? Unless you have plans to bring me anywhere else."

"Well I was going to make a detour to Normandy--"

Lorelai showed her irritation at Paris's joke with a light punch to her arm. "Hey!"

"Sorry, we have made the verbal agreement that we will have sex until the cows come home. That cannot be reneged on at this point, Ms. 'I have a contract ready to sign'."

"You make up one agreement..." Paris shook her head. "Definitely back to the hotel. And eventually, we will see if Dominique will join in our fun."

"Really?" Lorelai lit up. "You mean that?"

"Hey, you only live once," Paris said, excited at the prospect of having another beautiful woman to choose from, if only for the evening. "She's seen us both near-naked, so I think she would be a lovely woman to roll around in bed with us."

Lorelai grinned at Paris's excitement. "Now we just have to see if she'll bite onto our hints." The two women spent the rest of the ride back to the Crillon anxious as to how things would go until Lorelai had to get back on her trip the next day.  


* * *

**_To be continued..._**


End file.
